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SHAKESPEARE'S 



COMEDY OF 



As You Like It 



EpiTED, WITH NOTES 

BY 

WILLIAM J. ROLFE, Litt.D. 

FORMERLY HEAD MASTER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL 
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 



ILLUSTRATED 






NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI •:• CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 





TTT:;^ so:>> 




Mo3 



^ 1 t S' A I 






Copyright, 1903, by 
WILLIAM J. ROLFE. 



AS YOU LIKE IT. 

w. p. I 



(, :" ^ *' o • ^ » 



PREFACE 



This edition of As You Like It -Was first published in 
1877. As now revised it is substantially a new edition 
on the same general plan as the revised Merchant of 
Venice and Julius Ccesar which have preceded it. 

The greater part of the notes on textual variations 
have been either omitted or abridged. This play, with 
most of the others now read in schools and colleges, 
is now among the twelve plays that Dr. Furness has 
edited. No teacher can afford to do without his ency- 
clopedic volumes, in which all the readings and notes 
of the early and the standard modern editions are 
epitomized, together with large extracts from the best 
commentators and much admirable criticism by Dr. 
Furness himself. His edition is, in fact, a condensed 
library of the literature relating to the play, giving in 
compact and inexpensive form a vast amount of valuable 
matter, much of which would otherwise be inaccessible 
to the great majority of teachers and students. 

I have also omitted most of the "Critical Comments" 
from the introduction, as the books from which they 
were taken are now to be found in public and school 
libraries. For these extracts I have substituted familiar 
comments of my own, and have added more of the 
same kind in the Appendix. A concise account of 
Shakespeare's metre has also been inserted as an intro- 
duction to the Notes. 



6 Preface 

Minor changes have been made throughout the Notes. 
Some have been abridged, some have been expanded, 
and new ones have been added, including a considerable 
number in place of those referring to my editions of 
other plays. The book is now absolutely complete in 
itself. 

I believe that teachers will prefer the new edition to 
the old one ; but both can be used, without serious 
inconvenience, in the same class or club. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction to As You Like It ..... 9 

The History of the Play 9 

The Sources of the Plot il 

General Comments on the Play . . . . - ii 

As You Like It , ... 23 

Act I 25 

Act II 49 

Act III 72 

Act IV loi 

Act V 117 

Notes 139 

Appendix . 252 

Comments on Some of the Characters .... 252 

The " Moral " of the Play 266 

Blue Eyes and Other in Shakespeare .... 268 

The Time-Analysis of the Play ..... 274 

List of Characters in the Play ..... 276 

Index of Words and Phrases Explained . . . 279 

7 




Oliver (Act IV. Scene 3) 




The Forest of Arden 



INTRODUCTION TO AS YOU LIKE IT 



The History of the Play 



As You Like It was first printed, so far as we know, in 
the folio of 1623. The earliest notice of it by name is 
found in the Registers of the Stationers' Company, on a 
leaf which does not belong to the regular records, but 
contains miscellaneous entries, notes, etc. Between two 
of these, the one dated in May, 1600, and the other in 
June, 1603, occurs the following memorandum : ^ — 

1 We print this as Wright gives it. In Halliwell-Phillipps's folio ed. 
it appears thus : — 

9 



lo As You Like It 

4. August! 
As you like yt / a booke 
Henry the ffift / a booke 
Euery man in his humour / a booke 
The commedie of muche A doo about nothing 

a booke / 



► to be staied. 



All these " books " are stated to be " my lord chamber- 
lens menns plaies," which confirms the opinion that the 
entry refers to the year 1600. Henry V, and Much Ado 
About Nothing were duly Ucensed (the former on the 
14th and the latter on the 23d of August) and published 
that year ; and it is not Hkely that the plays would have 
been " staied " after the pubhcation of two of them. The 
prohibition was probably removed soon after it was re- 
corded ; and the clerk may not have considered it worth 
the formahty of a note in the body of the register. 

On the other hand, As Yott Like It is not mentioned 
by Meres in his enumeration of Shakespeare's plays 
in Palladis Taniia, which was pubHshed in Septem- 
ber, 1598; and it contains a quotation (iii. 5. 80) from 
Marlowe's Hero and Leander, the earliest known edition 

4 Augusti. 
As you like yt, a book. Henry the ffift, a book. ^ 
Every man in his humor, a book. The Commedie of j-To be staied. 
Much Adoo about nothinge, a book. J 

Collier gives it twice (in the introductions to Muck Ado and A. Y. L.) , 
but the versions do not agree with each other or with either of the above. 
The matter is of little importance, and we refer to it only as illustrating 
one of the minor trials of an editor who cannot refer to original docu- 
ments, but has to depend on copies made by others. 



Introduction ii 

of which appeared in the same year. It may therefore 
be reasonably concluded, as nearly all the commentators 
agree, that As You Like It was written between Septem- 
ber, 1598, and August, 1600; probably in the year 1599. 

The Sources of the Plot 

Shakespeare was chiefly indebted for the story of the| 
play to a novel by Thomas Lodge, published in 159a 
under the title of " Rosalynde, Euphues Golden Legacie,] 
found after his death in his Cell at Silexedra, bequeathed! 
to Philautus sonnes noursed up with their father in Eng- 
land, Fetcht from the Canaries by T. L., gent.. Imprinted 
by T. Orwin for T. G. and John Busbie, 1590." This 
book was reprinted in 1592, and eight editions are known 
to have appeared before 1643. How closely the poet 
followed the novel may be seen by the extracts from the 
latter printed in the Notes below. 

Lodge took some of the main incidents of his novel 
from The Cokes Tale of Gainelyn, which is found in a 
few of the later manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales of 
Chaucer, but which the best editors of that poet believe 
to be the production of another writer. 

General Comments on the Play 

"The sweetest and happiest of Shakespeare's come- 
dies," as a genial and appreciative critic calls it ! It is 
one of that group of plays written at about the same time 



12 As You Like It 

— probably in immediate succession, though we cannot 
say in what order — which another critic terms ^^ the 
three sunny or sweet-time comedies," the others being 
Much Ado and Twelfth Night. For myself, I hke to 
think of it as the first of the three, written when the 
author had just completed the series of English histori- 
cal plays (not counting Henry VIII., which came ten or 
more years later), and perhaps as a rest for his imagina- 
tion, — the recreation that is gained by taking up a 
wholly diiferent kind of Hterary work. The poet escaped 
for a season from camps and courts, and took a delight- 
ful vacation in the Forest of Arden. History was for the 
time forgotten, and free scope was given to imagination 
amid the scenes of a purely ideal life, — an Arcadia where 
they " fleet the time carelessly, as they "did in the golden 
world." The result is a pastoral drama in which we have 
almost unbroken sunshine, no more of shadow being in- 
troduced than serves to give variety to the scene. It is 
not the shadow that forebodes the coming of night or of 
tempest, but rather hke that of the passing summer cloud, 
or like that of the green canopy of a pleasant wood, fall- 
ing, flecked with sunlight sifted through the leaves, upon 
the velvet sward below. No one suffers seriously or for 
any great length of time. The banished Duke is only 
the happier for his exile, and exults in his freedom from 
the artificial restraints of the court ; and in the end he 
is restored to his rank and position. His banishment 
has proved only a summer vacation, a rural " outing," 
and we cannot doubt that he enjoyed his dukedom all 



Introduction 13 

the more for his brief exemption from its formalities and 
responsibihties. In like manner Rosalind, Celia, and the 
rest, who are made temporarily uncomfortable by the 
banishment of the Duke and other causes, soon forget 
their troubles in the forest, and are all happy at last. 

Some careful critic has found fault with Rosalind be- 
cause she goes to seek her father in the forest, and then 
apparently forgets all about him after she gets there. 
But this is only another illustration of the careless, free- 
and-easy character of the play. Nobody could be long 
anxious in that Forest of Arden. No matter what cares 
and troubles one brought thither, these soon vanished 
and were forgotten in the enchanted atmosphere. Things 
might not be entirely to one's mind at first, but one felt 
that they must soon become " as you like it." 

And this reminds me of the dispute as to the origin 
and significance of the title of the play. It may have 
been suggested, as some have supposed, by the preface 
to Lodge's novel of Rosalynde, to which the poet was 
indebted for his plot. Lodge says to his readers con- 
cerning the novel, '' If you like it, so," — that is, "so be 
it," or " well and good." The German critic Tieck fan- 
cied that the title was meant as a reply to Ben Jonson's 
criticisms on the loose and irregular style of Shakespeare's 
comedy. Ben was a scholar, and believed in the classi- 
cal rules for dramatic composition. The free-and-easy 
methods of his brother playwright were rank heterodoxy 
in his eyes, and he could not help sometimes expressing 
his righteous horror at them. In the preface to Cynthia's 



14 As You Like It 

Revels he had said of his own play, " 'T is good, and if 
you like it you may ; " and Tieck beheved that this sug- 
gested to Shakespeare the title for As You Like It ; as if 
he had said, " Well, here is another of my careless come- 
dies : take it as yoiL like itJ'^ But it does not seem to me 
at all probable that Shakespeare would select the name 
for a play solely or mainly to indulge in a little hit at 
another author — and a hit that would not be readily un- 
derstood without an explanation. 

Whatever may have suggested the title, — and, as I 
have said, it may have been Lodge's preface, — I have 
no doubt that it was adopted as fitly expressing the tone 
and temper of the play. This is the view of another 
German critic, Ulrici, who, in summing up his argument, 
says : " In fact all [the characters] do exactly what and 
as they please. . . . Each looks upon and shapes life as 
it pleases him or her. ... It is the poetic reflex of a 
life as you like it, light and smooth in its flow, unencum- 
bered by serious tasks, free from the fetters of definite 
objects and from intentions difficult to execute ; an 
amusing play of caprice, of imagination, and of waver- 
ing sensations and feelings." 

Charles Lamb called Lovers Labour's Lost " the com- 
edy of leisure " ; but, as Verplanck remarks, " he might 
have given the title in a higher sense to As Yoti Like 
It, where the pervading feeling is that of a refined 
and tasteful, yet simple and unaffected, throwing-off of 
the stiff Mendings' of artificial society." For myself, I 
would call it the summer vacation comedy. As I have 



Introduction 



17 



Professor Barrett Wendell, that it is "childish and 
absurd"; and yet, as he adds, "it has been for three 
hundred years the groundwork of perhaps the most con- 
stantly dehghtful and popular comedy in the English 
language." This is partly due to the subtle influence 
of the "charmed air" of that Forest of Arden, in which 
we forget to be critical. We can sympathize with the 
poet Campbell, who, when he first detected some of the 
incongruities in this play, after having been blind to them 
for many years, shut his eyes to the faults because of his 
love for the comedy — and love, as* he said, is " wilfully 
blind." "Away with your best-proved improbabilities 
when the heart has been touched and the fancy fasci- 
nated ! " But it was not the scene and the atmosphere 
alone that made him — that make us — love the play, 
but the fact that the leading characters are not mere 
puppets, as we might expect them to be in so crude a 
story, but living men and women. We cannot help lov- 
ing them, and following their experiences with the keen- 
est interest and sympathy. 

Shakespeare's characters, indeed, become so real to 
us that we keep up our interest in them after the curtain 
has fallen upon their fortunes. We speculate concern- 
ing their subsequent behaviour and welfare, and dispute 
about their probable fate. We even enjoy going back 
of the beginning of the drama, as Mary Cowden-Clarke 
has done in her Girlhood of Shakespeare'' s Heroines, and 
Lady Martin in some of her dehghtful studies of the 
characters she had personated. The questions suggested 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 2 



1 8 As You Like It 

by the unwritten history of these shadowy folk, these 
phantoms of a poet's brain, whom we have seen for an 
hour or two on the stage, have a perennial fascination. 
We can never settle them, but we never tire of pondering 
and discussing them. 

The metre of As You Like It is that of Shakespeare's 
best period in that respect. In his earliest plays the 
verse, though often exquisitely modulated, is sometimes 
laboured and formal. He had not then mastered the 
art of concealing the art. In his last plays, on the other 
hand, he seems to f*eel a certain contempt for the rules 
of versification, and refuses to be restrained by them. 
There are long passages in The Tempest and The Wintei^s 
Tale which, if we heard them read without knowing their 
source, we might take to be plain prose. At the same 
time it must be admitted that some of the poet's finest ver- 
sification is to be found here and there in these late plays. 

But in As You Like It, as in other plays of the same 
period, — about the middle of the poet's career as a 
writer, — we have the utmost perfection of blank verse ; 
at once finished and flowing, artistically musical, yet 
seeming to " sing itself," — the art of the accomplished 
minstrel, while it impresses us as the artlessness of the 
lark or the nightingale. 

This play also contains what, to my thinking, is the 
best example of musical variation in repeating the same 
thought or sentiment to be found anywhere in Shake- 
speare. It is where (ii. 7) Orlando, in his address to 
the Duke, says : — 



Introduction i^ 

" If ever you have look'd on better days, 
If ever been where bells have knoll'd to church, 
If ever sat at any good man's feast, 
If ever from your eyelids wip'd a tear, 
And know what 't is to pity and be pitied," etc. 

It would seem that this could hardly be altered with- 
out marring it ; but, faultless as it is, Shakespeare shows 
that he can repeat it "' with a difference," yet with no 
diminution of its beauty or its music. The Duke re- 
plies : — ■ 

" True is it that we have seen better days, 
And have with holy bell been knoll'd to church, 
And sat at good men's feasts, and wip'd our eyes 
Of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd," etc. 

Every statement is varied, while the leading words are 
retained ; and the variation is like that of some exquisite 
theme in music, repeated, yet not the same, but as sweet 
as before. One finds scattered examples of this fine 
modulation of melodious verse in the plays and poems, 
but no one that equals this. 

This play is also a good illustration of Shakespeare's art 
in the management of dramatic time. Only two of his 
plays, The Comedy of Errors and The Tempest, observe 
the "unities of time and place," which require that the 
time of the action represented shall not exceed a single 
day, and that the place shall be limited either to a single 
locality, or to localities so near that the persons con- 
cerned can pass from one to another within the day. In 
most of Shakespeare's plays the time of the action covers 



20 As You Like It 

several days, months, or years ; and the localities are 
often widely separated — England and France, Bohemia 
and Sicily, etc. 

But though Shakespeare thus ignores the classical law 
concerning time, he follows what may be called an artis- 
tic law of his own in dealing with time, which was not 
recognized by any of the critics until about fifty years 
ago ; and then, as often happens with important discov- 
eries, two men detected it independently at the same 
time. In November, 1849, Professor John Wilson (" Chris- 
topher North ") announced this law in Blackwood' s Maga- 
zine as " an astounding discovery," illustrating it minutely 
by an analysis of Macbeth and Othello; and the Rev. 
N. J. Halpin, during the same month, pubHshed an 
essay on Dramatic Unities in Shakespeare, illustrating 
the same law by an analysis of The Merchant of Venice. 
There could be no question that the two men had been 
working independently, and had reached identical re- 
sults. 

The law may be briefly stated thus : Shakespeare uses 
two kinds of time in the plays : one fast, corresponding 
to the brief time required for the action on the stage ; the 
other slow, corresponding to the longer time necessary 
for the actual succession of events represented. The law 
has been aptly and more concisely designated as "Shake- 
speare's tivo clocks, '^ one of which goes fast while the other 
goes slow. 

Apparently this manner of dealing with dramatic time 
was original with Shakespeare ; at least, it was used by 



Introduction 21 

* 

him in all his plays (except the two I have mentioned 
in which the unity of time is observed), and in all the 
details of their action, while it seldom, if ever, appears in 
the works of other dramatists. 

In As You Like It the two kinds of time are very easily 
recognized, and it is for this reason that I refer to the sub- 
ject in connection with this play. 

When the banishment of the old Duke is first mentioned, 
we infer that it occurred very recently. OHver, though a 
gentleman living near the court, has not heard of it until 
Charles the wrestler tells him about it, and Charles him- 
self seems to have only an imperfect knowledge of the 
main facts. " Where will the old Duke live ? " Oliver asks. 
" They say,^^ replies Charles, " he is already in the Forest 
of Arden," etc. There are reasons for this " fast time " 
here, which a careful student or reader will have no diffi- 
culty in discovering. 

" Slow time " appears very soon afterward. In Scene 
3, when the new Duke is banishing Rosalind, he says, in 
reply to the protest of Celia, that it was for her sake that 
the daughter was not exiled with the father. CeHa 
replies : — 

" I did not then entreat to have her stay ; 
It was your pleasure and your own remorse. 
I was too-young that time to value her, 
But now I know her. If she be a traitor, 
Why so am I; we still have slept together, 
Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together, 
And wheresoe'er we went, like Juno's swans, 
Still we went coupled and inseparable." 



22 As You Like It 

This certainly throws the banishment of the old Duke 
several years back into the past. Note also his own speech 
at the opening of the second act : — 

"Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, 
Hath not old custom made this life more sweet 
Than that of painted pomp ? Are not these woods 
More free from peril than the envious court? 
Here feel we not the penalty of Adam. 
The seasons' difference," etc. 

Clearly he and his friends have been in the forest long 
enough to get used to life there, and to experience '' the 
seasons' difference " — the winter as well as the summer. 
I need not continue this analysis further in the play. 
The reader will find it a profitable exercise to follow it 
out for himself. 

[Professor Wilson's paper may be found in Blackwood for 
November, 1849, with a continuation in the number for April, 1850. 
It is reprinted in the Transactions of the Neiv Shakspere Society, 
1875-76, pp. 351-387; where it is followed (pp. 388-412) by a re- 
print of Rev. Mr. Halpin's pamphlet.] 



AS YOU LIKE IT 



23 







DRAMATIS PERSONS, ' 

Duke, living in banishment. 

Frederick, his brother, and usurper of 
his dominions. 

Amiens, ) lords attending on the banished 

Jaques, i duke. 

Le Beau, a courtier attending upon Fred- 
erick. 

Charles, wrestler to Frederick. 

Oliver, 

t^QUES, J- sons of Sir Rowland de Boys. 
v/Orlando, 

Adam, \ 

Dennis, 
i/ Touchstone, a clown. 

Sir Oliver Martext, a vicar. 

Silvius, i shepherds. 

William, a country fellow, in love with 

Audrey. 
A person representing Hymen. 
Rosalind, daughter to the banished duke. 
Celia, daughter to Frederick. 
Phebe, a shepherdess. 
Audrey, a country wench. 

Lords, pages, and attendants, etc. 

Scene: Oliver's house; Duke Fred- 
erick's court; and the Forest of 
Arden. 



servants to Oliver. 



24 



:im. 




" To Liberty, and not to Banishment " 



ACT I 



Scene I. Orchard of Oliver'' s House 

Enter Orlando and Adam 

Orlando. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this 
fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand 
crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on 
his blessing, to breed me well ; and there begins my 
sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and 
report speaks goldenly of his profit. For my part, he 
keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more prop- 
erly, stays me here at home unkept ; for call you 

25 



26 As You Like It [Act i 

that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs 
not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred 10 
better, for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, 
they are taught their manage, and to that end riders 
dearly hired ; but I, his brother, gain nothing under 
him but growth, for the which his animals on his dung- 
hills are as much bound to him as I. Besides this 
nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something 
that nature gave me his countenance seems to take 
from me ; he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the 
place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines 
my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, 20 
that grieves me ; and the spirit of my father, which I 
think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servi- 
tude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know 
no wise remedy how to avoid it. 

Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. 

Orlando. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how 

he will shake me up. 

Enter Oliver 

Oliver. Now, sir ! what make you here? 

Orlando. Nothing; I am not taught to make any 
thing. 30 

Oliver. What mar you then, sir ? 

Orlando. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that 
which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, 
with idleness. 

Oliver. Marry, sir, be better employed, and be 
naught awhile. 



Scene i] As You Like It 27 

Orlando. Shall I keep your hogs and eat husks 
with them ? What prodigal portion have I spent, that 
I should come to such penury ? 

Oliver. Know you where you are, sir? 40 

Orlando. O, sir, very well ; here in your orchard. 

Oliver. Know you before whom, sir? 

Orlando. Ay, better than him I am before knows 
me. I know you are my eldest brother; and, in the 
gentle condition of blood, you should so know me!. 
The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that 
you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes 
not away my blood, were there twenty brothers be- 
twixt us. I have as much of my father in me as you ; 
albeit, I confess, your coming before me is nearer to 50 
his reverence. 

Oliver. What, boy ! 

Orlando. Come, come, elder brother, you are too 
young in this. 

Oliver. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain ? 

Orlando. I am no villain ; I am the youngest son 
of Sir Rowland de Boys : he was my father, and he is 
thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains. 
Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand 
from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy 60 
tongue for saying so ; thou hast railed on thyself. 

Adam. Sweet masters, be patient ; for your father's 
remembrance, be at accord. 

Oliver. Let me go, I say. 

Orlando. I will not, till I please.; you shall hear 



28 As You Like It [Act i 

me. My father charged you in his will to give me 
good education ; you have trained me like a peasant, 
obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like 
quahties. The spirit of my father grows strong in me, 
and I will no longer endure it. Therefore allow me 70 
such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give 
me the poor allottery my father left me by testament ; 
with that I will go buy my fortunes. 

Oliver. And what wilt thou do ? beg, when that is 
spent ? Well, sir, get you in : I will not long be 
troubled with you ; you shall have some part of your 
will. I pray you, leave me. 

Orlando. I will no further offend you than becomes 
me for my good. 

Oliver'. Get you with him, you old dog. 80 

Adam. Is 'old dog' my reward? Most true, I 
have lost my teeth in your service. — God be with my 
old master ! he would not have spoke such a word. 

\_Exetmt Orlando aiid Adam. 

Oliver. Is it even so ? begin you to grow upon me ? 
I will physic your rankness, and yet give no thousand 
crowns neither. — Holla, Dennis ! 

Enter Dennis 

Dennis. Calls your worship ? 

Oliver. Was not Charles, the duke's wrestler, here 
to speak with me ? 

Dennis. So please you, he is here at the door and 90 
importunes access to you. 



Scene I] As You Like It 29 

Oliver. Call him in. \_Exif Dennis.'] 'T will be a 
good way ; and to-morrow the wrestling is. 

Enter Charles 

Charles. Good morrow to your worship. 

Oliver. Good Monsieur Charles, what's the new 
news at the new court? 

Charles. There 's no news at the court, sir, but the 
old news : that is, the old duke is banished by his 
younger brother the new duke, and three or four 
loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile 100 
with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new 
duke ; and therefore he gives them good leave to 
wander. 

Oliver. Can you tell if Rosalind, the duke's daugh- 
ter, be banished with her father? 

Charles. O, no ; for the duke's daughter, her 
cousin, so loves her, being ever from their cradles bred 
together, that she would have followed her exile, or 
have died to stay behind her. She is at the court and 
no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; no 
and never two ladies loved as they do. 

Oliver. Where will the old dujke live? 

Charles. They say he is already in the forest of 
Arden, and a many merry men with him ; and there they 
live Hke the old Robin Hood of England. They^ay\ 
many young gentlemen flock to him every day, and i -^ 
fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden j 
world. 



30 As You Like It [Act i 

Oliver. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the 
new duke? 120 

Charles. Marry, do I, sir ; and I came to acquaint 
you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to under- 
stand that your younger brother Orlando hath a dis- 
position to come in disguised against me to try a fall. 
To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit ; and he that 
escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him 
well. Your brother is but young and tender ; and, 
for your love, I would be loath to foil him, as I must, 
for my own honour, if he come in. Therefore, out of 
my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal, 130 
that either you might stay him from his intendment 
or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into, in 
that it is a thing of his own search and altogether 
against my will. 

Oliver. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, 
which thou shalt find I will most kindly requite. I 
had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and 
have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him 
from it, but he is resolute. I '11 tell thee, Charles, it is 
the stubbornest young fellow of France, full of ambi- 140 
tion, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a 
secret and villanous contriver against me his natural 
brother ; therefore use thy discretion. I had as lief 
thou didst break his neck as his finger. And thou 
wert best look to 't, for if thou dost him any slight dis- 
grace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, 
he will practise against thee by poison, entrap thee by 



Scene II] As You Like It 31 

some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he 
hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other ; 
for, I assure thee, and almost with tears I speak it, 150 
there is not one so young and so villanous this day 
living. I speak but brotherly of him ; but should I 
anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and 
weep, and thou must look pale and wonder. 

Chaj'les. I am heartily glad I came hither to you. 
If he come to-morrow, I '11 give him his payment. If 
ever he go alone again, I '11 never wrestle for prize 
more ; and so, God keep your worship ! 

Oliver. Farewell, good Charles. — \_Exit Charles. 
Now will I stir this gamester. I hope I shall see an 160 
end of him, for my soul, yet I know not why, hates 
nothing more than he. Yet he 's gentle, never 
schooled and yet learned, full of noble device, of all 
sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in 
the heart of the world, and especially of my own peo- 
ple, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised. 
But it shall not be so long ; this wrestler shall clear all. 
Nothing remains but that I kindle the boy thither, 
which now I '11 go about. \^Exit. 



Scene II. Lawn before the Duke^s Palace 

Enter Celia and Rosalind 

Celia. I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be 
merry. 



32 As You Like It [Act i 

Rosalind. Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I . 
am mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier? 
Unless you could teach me to forget a banished father, 
you must not learn me how to remember any extraor- 
dinary pleasure. 

Celia. Herein I see thou lovest me not with the 
full weight that I love thee. If my uncle, thy banished 
father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, so lo 
thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught my 
love to take thy father for mine ; so wouldst thou, if 
the truth of thy love to me were so righteously tem- 
pered as mine is to thee. 

Rosalind. Well, I will forget the condition of my 
estate, to rejoice in yours. 

Celia. You know my father hath no child but I, 
nor none is like to have ; and, truly, when he dies, thou 
shalt be his heir, for what he hath taken away from thy 
father perforce, I will render thee again in affection. 20 
By mine honour, I will ; and when I break that oath, 
let me turn monster ! Therefore, my sweet Rose, my 
dear Rose, be merry. 

Rosalind. From henceforth I will, coz, and devise 
sports. Let me see ; what think you of falling in love ? 

Celia. Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal ; 
but love no man in good earnest, nor no further in 
sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou • 
mayst in honour come off again. 

Rosalind. What shall be our sport, then? 30 

Celia. Let us sit and mock the good housewife 



Scene II] As You Like It ^3 

Fortune from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth 
be bestowed equally. 

Rosalind. I would we could do so, for her benefits 
are mightily misplaced, and the bountiful blind woman 
doth most mistake in her gifts to women. 

Celia. 'T is true ; for those that she makes fair she 
scarce makes honest, and those that she makes honest 
she makes very ill-favouredly. 

Rosalind. Nay, now thou goest from Fortune's 40 
office to Nature's ; Fortune reigns in gifts of the 
world, not in the lineaments of Nature. 

Enter Touchstone 

Celia. No? when Nature hath made a fair creature, 
may she not by Fortune fall into the fire? Though 
Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath not 
Fortune sent in this fool to cut off" the argument ? 

Rosalind. Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for 
Nature, when Fortune makes Nature's natural the 
cutter-off" of Nature's wit. 

Celia. Peradventure this is not Fortune's work 50 
neither, but Nature's, who, perceiving our natural wits 
too dull to reason of such goddesses, hath sent this 
natural for our whetstone ; for always the dulness of 
the fool is the whetstone of the wits. How now, wit ! 
Whither wander you? 

Touchstone. Mistress, you must come away to your 
father. 

Celia. Were you made the messenger? 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 3 



34 As You Like It [Act i 

Touchstone. No, by mine honour, but I was bid to 
come for you. 60 

Rosalind. Where learned you that oath, fool? 

Touchstone. Of a certain knight that swore by his 
honour they were good pancakes, and swore by his 
honour the mustard was naught. Now I '11 stand to it, 
the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good, 
and yet was not the knight forsworn. 

Celia. How prove you that, in the great heap of 
your knowledge ? 

Rosalind. Ay, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom. 

Touchstone. Stand you both forth now ; stroke 70 
your chins, and swear by your beards that I am a 
knave. 

Celia. By our beards, if we had them, thou art. 

Touchstone. By my knavery, if. I had it, then I 
were ; but if you swear by that that is not, you are not 
forsworn. No more was this knight, swearing by his 
honour, for he never had any ; or if he had, he had 
sworn it away before ever he saw those pancakes or 
that mustard. 

Celia. Prithee, who is 't that thou meanest? 80 

Touchstone. One that old Frederick, your father, 
loves. 

Celia. My father's love is enough to honour him 
enough. Speak no more of him ; you '11 be whipped 
for taxation one of these days. 

Touchstone. The more pity, that fools may not 
speak wisely what wise men do foolishly. 



Scene II] As You Like It 35 

Celia. By my troth, thou sayest true ; for since the 
little wit that fools have was silenced, the little foolery 
that wise men have makes a great show. Here comes 90 
Monsieur Le Beau. 

Rosalind. With his mouth full of news. 

Celia. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed 
their young. 

Rosalind. Then shall we be news-crammed. 

Celia. All the better ; we shall be the more 
marketable. — 

Enter Le Beau 

Bon jour. Monsieur Le Beau ; what 's the news ? 

Le Beaic. Fair princess, you have lost much good 
sport. 100 

Celia. Sport! of what colour ? 

Le Beau. What colour, madam? how shall I 
answer you? 

Rosalind. As wit and fortune will. 

Touchstone. Or as the destinies decree. 

Celia. Well said ; that was laid on with a trowel. 

Touchstone. Nay, if I keep not my rank, — 

Rosalind. Thou losest thy old smell. 

Le Beau. You amaze me, ladies ; I would have 
told you of good wrestling, which you have lost no 
the sight of. 

Rosalind. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling. 

Le Beau. I will tell you the beginning, and, if it 
please your ladyships, you may see the end ; for the 



;^6 As You Like It [Act i 

best is yet to do, and here, where you are, they are 
coming to perform it. 

Ce/ia. Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried. 

Le Beau. There comes an old man and his three 
sons, — 

Celia. I could match this beginning with an old tale. 120 

Le Beau. Three proper young men, of excellent 
growth and presence, — 

Rosalind. With bills on their necks, ' Be it known 
unto all men by these presents.' 

Le Beau. The eldest of the three wrestled with 
Charles, the duke's wrestler, which Charles in a mo- 
ment threw him and broke three of his ribs, that there 
is little hope of life in him ; so he served the second, 
and so the third. Yonder they lie ; the poor old man, 
their father, making such pitiful dole over them that 130 
all the beholders take his part with weeping. 

Rosalind. Alas ! 

ToiLchstone. But what is the sport, monsieur, that 
the ladies have lost? 

Le Beau. Why, this that I speak of. 

Touchstone. Thus men may grow wiser every day ! 
It is the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs 
was sport for ladies. 

Celia. Or I, I promise thee. 139 

Rosalind. But is there any else longs to see this 
broken music in his sides? is there yet another dotes 
upon rib-breaking ? — Shall we see this wrestling, 
cousin ? 



Scene II] As You Like It 37 

Le Beau, You must, if you stay here ; for here is 
the place appointed for the wresthng, and they are 
ready to perform it. 

Celia. Yonder, sure, they are coming ; let us now 
stay and see it. 

Floui'ish. Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando, 
Charles, aiid Attendants 

Duke Frederick. Come on ; since the youth will 
not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness. 150 

Rosalind. Is yonder the man? 

Le Beau. Even he, madam. 

Celia. Alas, he is too young ! yet he looks success- 
fully. 

Duke Fredei'ick. How now, daughter and cousin ! 
are you crept hither to see the wrestling? 

Rosalind. Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave. 

Duke Fi-ederick. You will take little delight in it, I 
can tell you, there is such odds in the men. In pity 
of the challenger's youth I would fain dissuade him, 160 
but he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies ; 
see if you can move him. 

Celia. Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau. 

Duke Frederick. Do so ; I '11 not be by. 

Le Beau. Monsieur the challenger, the princess calls 
for you. 

Orlando. I attend them with all respect and duty. 

Rosalind. Young man, have you challenged Charles 
the wrestler? 



38 As You Like It [Act i 

Orlando. No, fair princess ; he is the general chal- 170 
lenger. I come but in, as others do, to try with him 
the strength of my youth. 

Celia. Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold 
for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's 
strength ; if you saw yourself with your eyes or knew 
yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure 
would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We 
pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own 
safety and give over this attempt. 

Rosalind, Do, young sir; your reputation shall not 180 
therefore be misprised. We will make it our suit to 
the duke that the wrestling might not go forward. 

Orlando. I beseech you, punish me not with your 
hard thoughts, wherein I confess me much guilty to 
deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let 
your fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my 
trial ; wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed 
that was never gracious ; if killed, but one dead that is 
willing to be so. I shall do my friends no wrong, for 
I have none to lament me ; the world no injury, for in 190 
it I have nothing ; only in the world I fill up a place 
which may be better suppHed when I have made it 
empty. 

Rosalind. The little strength that I have, I would it 
were with you. 

Celia. And mine, to eke out hers. 

Rosalind. Fare you well ; pray heaven I be deceived 
in you ! 



Scene iij As You Like It 39 

Celia. Your heart's desires be with you ! 199 

Charles. Come, where is this young gallant that is 
so desirous to lie with his mother earth ? 

Orlando. Ready, sir ; but his will hath in it a more 
modest working. 

Duke Frederick. You shall try but one fall. 

Charles. No, I warrant your grace, you shall not 
entreat him to a second, that have so mightily per- 
suaded him from a first. 

Orlando. YoU mean to mock me after ; you should 
not have mocked me before. But come your ways. 209 

Rosalind. Now Hercules be thy speed, young man ! 

Celia. I would I were invisible, to catch the strong 
fellow by the leg. \They wrestle, 

Rosalind. O excellent young man ! 

Celia. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can 
tell who should down. \_Shout. Charles is thrown. 

Duke Frederick. No more, no more. 

Orlando, Yes, I beseech your grace ; I am not yet 
well-breathed. 

Duke Frederick. How dost thou, Charles ? 

Le Beau. He cannot speak, my lord. 220 

Duke Frederick. Bear him away. — What is thy 
name, young man? 

Orlando. Orlando, my liege j the youngest son of 
Sir Rowland de Boys. 

Duke Frederick. I would thou hadst been son to 
some man else. 
The world esteem'd thy father honourable, 



40 As You Like It [Act i 

But I did find him still mine enemy. 

Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed, 

Hadst thou descended from another house. 

But fare thee well ; thou art a gallant youth. 230 

I would thou hadst told me of another father. 

\_Exeunt Duke Frederick^ train, and Le Beau, 

Celia. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? 

Orlando. I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son, 
His youngest son, and would not change that calhng, 
To be adopted heir to Frederick. 

Rosalind. My father lov'd Sir Rowland as his soul, 
And all the world was of my father's mind. 
Had I before known this young man his son, 
I should have given him tears unto entreaties, 
Ere he should thus have ventur'd. 

Celia.- Gentle cousin, 240 

Let us go thank him and encourage him ; 
My father's rough and envious disposition 
Sticks me at heart. — Sir, you have well deserv'd ; 
If you do keep your promises in love 
But justly as you have exceeded all promise, 
Your mistress shall be happy. 

Rosalind. Gentleman, 

[ Giving him a chain from her neck. 
Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune, 
That could give more but that her hand lacks means. — 
Shall we go, coz? 

Celia. Ay. — Fare you well, fair gentleman. 249 

Orlando. Can I not say, I thank you ? My better parts 



Scene II] As You Like It 41 

Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up 
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block. 

Rosalind. He calls us back. My pride fell with my 
fortunes ; 
I'll ask him what he would. — Did you call, sir? — 
Sir, you have wrestled well and overthrown 
More than your enemies. 

Celia. Will you go, coz? 

Rosalind, Have with you. — Fare you well. 

\_Exeunt Rosalind and Celia, 

Orlando. What passion hangs these weights upon my 
tongue ? 
I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference. 
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown ! 260 

Or Charles or something weaker masters thee. 

Enter Le Beau 

Le Beau. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you 
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserv'd 
High commendation, true applause, and love. 
Yet such is now the duke's condition 
That he misconstrues all that you have done. 
The duke is humorous ; what he is, indeed, 
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of. 

Orlaftdo. I thank you, sir; and, pray you, tell me 
this : 
Which of the two was daughter of the duke 270 

That here was at the wrestling? 



42 As You Like It [Act i 

Le Beau, Neither his daughter, if we judge by man- 
ners ; 
But yet indeed the smaller is his daughter. 
The other is daughter to the banish'd duke, 
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle, 
To keep his daughter company, whose loves 
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters. 
But I can tell you that of late this duke 
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece, 
Grounded upon no other argument 280 

But that the people praise her for her virtues 
And pity her for her good father's sake ; 
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady 
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well ; 
Hereafter, in a better world than this, 
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you. 

Orlando. I rest much bounden to you ; fare you 

well. — \_Exit Le Beau, 

Thus must I from the smoke into the smother ; 

From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother. — 289 

But heavenly Rosalind ! \_Exit, 



Scene HI. A Room in the Palace 

Enter Celia and Rosalind 

Celia, Why, cousin ! why, Rosalind ! Cupid have 
mercy ! not a word? 

Rosalind. Not one to throw at a dog. 



Scene III] As You Like It 43 

Celia. No, thy words are too precious to be cast 
away upon curs ; throw some of them at me. Come, 
lame me with reasons. 

Rosalind, Then there were two cousins laid up ; 
when the one should be lamed with reasons, and the 
other mad without any. 

Celia. But is all this for your father? 10 

Rosalind. No, some of it is for my child's father. 
O, how full of briers is this working-day world ! 

Celia. They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee 
in holiday foolery ; if we walk not in the trodden 
paths, our very petticoats will catch them. 

Rosalind. I could shake them off my coat ; these 
burs are in my heart. 

Celia. Hem them away. 

Rosalind. I would try, if I could cry hem and have 
him. 20 

Celia. Come, come, wrestle with thy affections. 

Rosalind. O, they take the part of a better wrestler 
than myself! 

Celia. O, a good wish upon you ! you will try in 
time, in despite of a fall. But, turning these jests out 
of service, let us talk in good earnest. Is it possible, 
on such a sudden, you should fall into so strong a liking 
with old Sir Rowland's youngest son? 

Rosalind. The duke my father lov'd his father 
dearly. 30 

Celia. Doth it therefore ensue that you should love 
his son dearly? By this kind of chase, I should hate 



44 



As You Like It [Act i 



him, for my father hated his father dearly ; yet I hate 
not Orlando. 

Rosalind. No, faith, hate him not, for my sake. 

Celia. Why should I not ? doth he not deserve well ? 

Rosalind. Let me love him for that, and do you 
love him because I do. — Look, here comes the duke. 

Celia. With his eyes full of anger. 

Enter Duke Frederick, with Lords. 

Duke Frederick. Mistress, despatch you with your 
safest haste, 40 

And get you from our court. 

Rosalind. Me, uncle ? 

Duke Frederick. You, cousin ; 

Within these ten days if that thou be'st found 
So near our public court as twenty miles. 
Thou diest for it. 

Rosalind. I do beseech your grace. 

Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me. 
If with myself I hold intelligence 
Or have acquaintance with mine own desires. 
If that I do not dream or be not frantic, — 
As I do trust I am not, — then, dear uncle. 
Never so much as in a thought unborn 50 

Did I offend your highness. 

Duke Frederick. Thus do all traitors ; 

If their purgation did consist in words. 
They are as innocent as grace itself. 
Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not. 



Scene III] As You Like It 45 

Rosalind. Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor \ 
Tell me whereon the likelihood depends. 

Duke Frederick. Thou art thy father's daughter ; there 's 
enough. 

Rosalind, So was I when your highness took his duke- 
dom ; 
So was I when your highness banish'd him. 
Treason is not inherited, my lord ; 60 

Or, if we did derive it from our friends. 
What 's that to me ? my father was no traitor. 
Then, good my Hege, mistake me not so much 
To think my poverty is treacherous. 

Celia. Dear sovereign, hear me speak. 

Duke Frederick. Ay, Celia ; we stay'd her for your 
sake, 
Else had she with her father rang'd along. 

Celia. I did not then entreat to have her stay ; 
It was your pleasure and your own remorse. 
I was too young that time to value her, 70 

But now I know her. If she be a traitor, 
Why so am I ; we still have slept together, 
Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together, 
And wheresoe'er we went, like Juno's swans, 
Still we went coupled and inseparable. 

Duke Frederick. She is too subtle for thee j and her 
smoothness. 
Her very silence and her patience. 
Speak to the people, and they pity her. 
Thou art a fool j she robs thee of thy name, 



46 As You Like It [Act i 

And thou wilt show more bright and seem more virtuous 80 

When she is gone. Then open not thy lips : 

Firm and irrevocable is my doom 

Which I have pass'd upon her ; she is banish'd. 

Celia. Pronounce that sentence then on me, my liege j 
I cannot live out of her company. 

Duke Frederick. You are a fool. — You, niece, pro- 
vide yourself; 
If you outstay the time, upon mine honour, 
And in the greatness of my word, you die. 

\_Exeunt Duke Frederick and Lords. 

Celia. O my poor Rosalind, whither wilt thou go? 
Wilt thou change fathers? I will give thee mine. 90 

I charge thee, be not thou more griev'd than I am. 

Rosalind. I have more cause. 

Celia. Thou hast not, cousin. 

Prithee, be cheerful ; know'st thou not, the duke 
Hath banish'd me, his daughter? 

Rosalind. That he hath not. 

Celia. No, hath not ? Rosalind lacks then the love 
Which teacheth thee that thou and I am one. 
Shall we be sunder'd? shall we part, sweet girl? 
No ; let my father seek another heir. 
Therefore devise with me how we may fly, 
Whither to go, and what to bear with us \ 100 

And do not seek to take the charge upon you. 
To bear your griefs yourself and leave me out, 
For, by this heaven, now at our sorrows pale. 
Say what thou canst, I '11 go along with thee. 



Scene III] As You Like It 47 

Rosalind. Why, whither shall we go? 

Celia. To seek my uncle in the forest of Arden»-. 

Rosalind. Alas, what danger will it be to us, 
Maids as we are, to travel forth so far ! 
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold. 

Celia. I '11 put myself in poor and mean attire, no 
And with a kind of umber smirch my face. 
The hke do you \ so shall we pass along 
And never stir assailants. 

Rosalind. ^ Were it not better, 

Because that I am more than common tall, 
That I did suit me all points like a man? 
A gallant curtle-axe upon my thigh, 
A boar-spear in my hand ; and, in my heart 
Lie there what hidden woman's fear there will, 
We '11 have a swashing and a martial outside. 
As many other mannish cowards have 120 

That do outface it with their semblances. 

Celia. What shall I call thee when thou art a man? 

Rosalind. I '11 have no worse a name than Jove's own 
page, 
And therefore look you call me Ganymede. 
But what will you be call'd? 

Celia. Something that hath a reference to my state ; 
No longer Celia, but Aliena. 

. Rosalind. But, cousin, what if we assay 'd to steal 
The clownish fool out of your father's court? 
Would he not be a comfort to our travel? 130 

Celia. He '11 go along o'er the wide world with me ; 



48 As You Like It [Act i 

Leave me alone to woo him. Let 's away, 

And get our jewels and our wealth together, 

Devise the fittest time and safest way 

To hide us from pursuit that will be made 

After my flight. Now go we in content 

To liberty, and not to banishment. \_Exeunt 




"A Poor Sequester'd Stag" 



ACT II 



Scene I. The Forest of Arden 



Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, and two or three Lords, 
like foresters 

Duke Senior. Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, 
,liSLthi?oi_9jd.G-UStaiTi,ma^^^^^^ thisJife-inDj:£LS55;Xet_ 
Than that^^oTgainted pomp? Are not these woods 
More free from peril than the envious court? 
Here feel we not the penalty of Adam. 



AS YOU LIKE IT- 



49 



50 As You Like It [Act ii 

The seasons' difference, — as the icy fang 

And churhsh chiding of the winter's wind, 

Which, when it bites and blows upon my body, 

Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say 

' This is no flattery ' — these are counsellors lo 

That feelingly persuade me what I am. 

Sweet are the uses of adversity,;^! 

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, 

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head ; 

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, 

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks. 

Sermons in stones, and good in everything. 

I would not change it. 

Amiens. Happy is your grace. 

That can translate the stubbornness of fortune 
Into so quiet and so sweet a style. 20 

Duke Senior. Come, shall we go and kill us venison ? 
And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools. 
Being native burghers of this desert city, 
Should in their own confines with forked heads 
Have their round haunches gor'd. 

First Lord. Indeed, my lord. 

The melancholy Jaques grieves at that. 
And, in that kind, swears you do more usurp 
Than doth your brother that hath banish'd you. 
To-day my lord of Amiens and myself 
Did steal behind him as he lay along 30 

Under an oak, whose antique root peeps out 
Upon the brook that brawls along this wood, 



Scene I] As You Like It 51 

To the which place a poor sequester'd stag, 

That from the hunter's aim had ta'en a hurt, 

Did come to languish ; and indeed, my lord, 

The wretched animal heav'd forth such groans 

That their discharge did stretch his leathern coat 

Almost to bursting, and the big round tears 

Cours'd one another down his innocent nose 

In piteous chase ; and thus the hairy fool, 40 

Much marked of the melancholy Jaques, 

Stood on the extremest verge of the swift brook. 

Augmenting it with tears. 

Duke Senior. But what said Jaques ? 

Did he not moralize this spectacle ? 

First Lord. O, yes, into a thousand similes. 
First, for his weeping into the needless stream : 
*■ Poor deer,' quoth he, ' thou mak'st a testament 
As worldlings do, giving thy sum of more 
To that which had too much.' Then, being there alone. 
Left and abandon' d of his velvet friends : 50 

* 'T is right,' quoth he ; ' thus misery doth part 
The flux of company.' Anon a careless herd. 
Full of the pasture, jumps along by him, 

And never stays to greet him. ' Ay,' quoth Jaques, 

* Sweep on, you fat and greasy citizens, 

'T is just the fashion ; wherefore do you look 

Upon that poor and broken bankrupt there ? ' 

Thus most invectively he pierceth through 

The body of the country, city, court. 

Yea, and of this our life, swearing that we 60 



52 As You Like It [Act ii 

Are mere usurpers, tyrants, and what 's worse, 
To fright the animals and to kill them up 
In their assign'd and native dwelling-place. 

Dicke Senior. And did you leave him in this contem- 
plation ? 

Second Lord. We did, my lord, weeping and commenting 
Upon the sobbing deer. 

Duke Senior. Show me the place ; 

I love to cope him in these sullen fits. 
For then he 's full of matter. 

First Lord. I '11 bring you to him straight. \_Exeunf. 

Scene II. A Room in the Palace 
Enter Duke Frederick, with Lords 

Duke Frederick. Can it be possible that no man saw 
them ? 
It cannot be ; some villains of my court 
Are of consent and sufferance in this. 

First Lord. I cannot hear of any that did see her. 
The ladies, her attendants of her chamber, 
Saw her abed, and in the morning early 
They found the bed untreasur'd of their mistress. 

Second Lord. My lord, the roynish clown, at whom so oft 
Your grace was wont to laugh, is also missing. 
Hesperia, the princess' gentlewoman, lo 

Confesses that she secretly o'erheard 
Your daughter and her cousin much commend 
The parts and graces of the wrestler 



Scene III] As You Like It ^^ 

That did but lately foil the sinewy Charles ; 
And she believes, wherever they are gone, 
That youth is surely in their company. 

Z>uke Frederick. Send to his brother ; fetch that gal- 
lant hither. 
If he be absent, bring his brother to me ; 
I '11 make him find him. Do this suddenly, 
And let not search and inquisition quail 20 

To bring again these foolish runaways. \_Exeunt. 

1 

Scene III. Before Oliver^s House 
Enter Orlando and Adam, meeting 

Orlando. Who's there? 

Adam. What, my young master? O my gentle master ! 
O my sweet master ! O you memory 
Of old Sir Rowland ! why, what make you here? 
Why are you virtuous ? why do people love you ? 
And wherefore are you gentle, strong, and vaKant ? 
Why would you be so fond to overcome 
The bonny priser of the humorous duke ? 
Your praise is come too swiftly home before you. 
Know you not, master, to some kind of men 10 

Their graces serve them but as enemies? 
No more do yours ; your virtues, gentle master, 
Are sanctified and holy traitors to you. 
O, what a world is this, when what is comely 
Envenoms him that bears it ! 

Orlando. Why, what 's the matter? 



54 As You Like It [Act ii 

Adam. O unhappy youth ! 

Come not within these doors ; within this roof 
The enemy of all your graces lives. 
Your brother — no, no brother ; yet the son — 
Yet not the son, I will not call him son 20 

Of him I was about to call his father — 
Hath heard your praises, and this night he means 
To burn the lodging where you use to lie 
And you within it ; if he fail of that, 
He will have other means to cut you off. 
I overheard him in his practices. 
This is no place ; this house is but a butchery. 
Abhor it, fear it, do not enter it. 

Orlando. Why, whither, Adam, wouldst thou have me 
go? 

Adam. No matter whither, so you come not here. 30 

Orlando. What, wouldst thou have me go and beg my 
food? 
Or with a base and boisterous sword enforce 
A thievish living on the common road ? 
This I must do, or know not what to do. 
Yet this I will not do, do how I can ; 
I rather will subject me to the malice 
Of a diverted blood and bloody brother. 

Adam. But do not so. I have five hundred crowns, 
The thrifty hire I sav'd under your father, 
Which I did store to be my foster-nurse 40 

When service should in my old limbs lie lame 
And unregarded age in corners thrown. 



Scene III] As You Like It 55 

Take that, and He that doth the ravens feed, 

Yea, providently caters for the sparrow. 

Be comfort to my age ! Here is the gold ; 

All this I give you. Let me be your servant. 

Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty, 

For in my youth I never did apply 

Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood. 

Nor did not with unbashful forehead woo 50 

The means of weakness and debility ; 

Therefore my a^e is as a lusty winter, 

Frosty, but kindly. Let me go with you ; 

I '11 do the service of a younger man 

In all your business and necessities. 

Orlando. O good old man ! how well in thee appears 
The constant service of the antique world. 
When service sweat for duty, not for meed ! 
Thou art not for the fashion of these times. 
Where none will sweat but for promotion, 60 

A.nd having that, do choke their service up 
Even with the having ; it is not so with thee. 
But, poor old man, thou prun'st a rotten tree, 
That cannot so much as a blossom yield 
In lieu of all thy pains and husbandry. 
But come thy ways ; we '11 go along together. 
And ere we have thy youthful wages spent. 
We '11 light upon some settled low content. 

Adam. Master, go on, and I will follow thee, 
To the last gasp, with truth and loyalty. 70 

From seventeen years till now almost fourscore 



^6 As You Like It [Act ii 

Here lived I, but now live here no more. 
At seventeen years many their fortunes seek, 
But at fourscore it is too late a week ; 
Yet fortune cannot recompense me better 
Than to die well, and not my master's debtor. 

Scene IV. T/te Forest of Arden 

Enter Rosalind for Ganymede, Celia for Aliena, 
and Touchstone 

Rosalind. O Jupiter ! how weary are my spirits ! 

Touchstone. I care not for my spirits, if my legs 
were not weary. 

Rosalind. I could find in my heart to disgrace my 
man's apparel and to cry like a woman, but I must 
comfort the v/eaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought 
to show itself courageous to petticoat ; therefore 
courage, good Aliena ! 

Celia. I pray you, bear with me ; I cannot go no 
further. lo 

Touchstone. For my part, I had rather bear with 
you than bear you ; yet I should bear no cross if I 
did bear you, for I think you have no money in your 
purse. 

Rosalind. Well, this is the forest of Arden. 

Touchstone, Ay, now am I in Arden ; the more 
fool I ! when I was at home, I was in a better place : 
but travellers must be content. 

Rosalind. Ay, be so, good Touchstone. — Look 



Scene IV] As You Like It 57 

you who comes here ; a young man and an old in 20 
solemn talk. 

Enter CoRiN and Silvius 

Corin. That is the way to make her scorn you still. 

Silvius, O Corin, that thou knew'st how I do love 
her ! 

Corin. I partly guess ; for I have lov'd ere now. 

Silvius, No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess, 
Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover 
As ever sigh'd upon a midnight pillow ; 
But if thy love were ever like to mine — 
As sure I think did never man love so — 
How many actions most ridiculous 30 

Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy? 

Corin. Into a thousand that I have forgotten. 

Silvius. O, thou didst then ne'er love so heartily ! 
If thou remember'st not the slightest folly 
That ever love did make thee run into, 
Thou hast not lov'd ; 
Or if thou hast not sat as I do now. 
Wearing thy hearer in thy mistress' praise, 
Thou hast not lov'd j 

Or if thou hast not broke from company 40 

x\bruptly, as my passion now makes me, 
Thou hast not lov'd. 

Phebe, Phebe, Phebe ! {^Exit. 
Rosalind. Alas, poor shepherd ! searching of thy 

wound, 

1 have by hard adventure found mine own. 



58 As You Like It [Act ii 

Touchstone. And I mine. I remember when I was 
in love I broke my sword upon a stone, and bid him 
take that for coming a-night to Jane Smile ; and I 
remember the kissing of her batlet and the cow's 
dugs that her pretty chopt hands had milked ; and I 50 
remember the wooing of a peascod instead of her, 
from whom I took two cods, and, giving her them 
again, said with weeping tears, *Wear these for my 
sake.' We that are true lovers run into strange 
capers ; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature 
in love mortal in folly. 

Rosalind. Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of. 
/ Touchstone. Nay, I shall ne'er be ware of mine 
V own wit till I break my shins against it. 

Rosalind. Jove, Jove ! this shepherd's passion 60 

Is much upon my fashion. 

Touchstone. And mine ; but it grows something 
stale with me. 

Celia. I pray you, one of you question yond man 
If he for gold will give us any food ; 
I faint almost to death. 

Touchstone. Holla, you clown ! 

Rosalind. Peace, fool ; he 's not thy kinsman. 

Covin. Who calls? 

Touchstone. Your betters, sir. 

Corin. Else are they very wretched. 

Rosalind. Peace, I say. — Good even to you, friend. 

Corin. And to you, gentle sir, and to you all. 70 

Rosalind. I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold 



Scene IV] As You Like It 59 

Can in this desert place buy entertainment, 
Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed. 
Here 's a young maid with travel much oppress'd 
And faints for succour. 

Corin. Fair sir, I pity her, 

And wish, for her sake more than for mine own, 
My fortunes were more able to relieve her ; 
But I am shepherd to another man 
And do not shear the fleeces that I graze. 
My master is of churlish disposition, 80 

And little recks to find the way to heaven 
By doing deeds of hospitality. 
Besides, his cote, his flocks, and bounds of feed 
Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now, 
By reason of his absence, there is nothing 
That you will feed on ; but what is, come see. 
And in my voice most welcome shall you be. 

Rosalind. What is he that shall buy his flock and 
pasture ? 

Corin. That young swain that you saw here but 
erewhile, 
That little cares for buying any thing. 90 

Rosalind. I pray thee, if it stand with honesty, 
Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock 
And thou shalt have to pay for it of us. 

Celia. And we will mend thy wages. I like this place. 
And willingly could waste my time in it. 

Corin. Assuredly the thing is to be sold. 
Go with me ; if you like upon report 



6o As You Like It [Act ii 

The soil, the profit, and this kind of life, 

I will your very faithful feeder be, 99 

And buy it with your gold right suddenly. \_Exeunt. 



Scene V. The Forest 
Enter Amiens, Jaques, and otheis 

SONG 

Amiens. Under the greenwood tree 
Who loves to lie with me, 
And turii his merry note 
Unto the sweet bi7^d''s throat, 
Come hither, come hither, come hither ; 
Here shall he see 
No enemy 
Bui winter and roiigh weather. 

Jaques. More, more, I prithee, more ! 

A7niens. It will make you melancholy, Monsieur lo 
Jaques. 

Jaques. I thank it. More, I prithee, more ! I can 
suck melancholy out of a song, as a weasel sucks eggs. 
More, I prithee, more ! 

Amiens. My voice is ragged ; I know I cannot 
please you. 

Jaques. I do not desire you to please me ; I do 
desire you to sing. Come, more; another stanzo — 
call you 'em stanzos? 



Scene V] As You Like It 6i 

Amiens. What you will, Monsieur Jaques. 20 

Jaques. Nay, I care not for their names ; they owe 
me nothing. Will you sing? 

Afniens. More at your request than to please myself. 

Jaques. Well then, if ever I thank any man, I '11 
thank you ; but that they call compliment is like the 
encounter of two dog-apes, and when a man thanks 
me heartily, methinks I have given him a penny and 
he renders me the beggarly thanks. Come, sing ; and 
you that will not, hold your tongues. 

Amiens. Well, I '11 end the song. — Sirs, cover the 30 
while ; the duke will drink under this tree. — He hath 
been all this day to look you. 

Jaques. And I have been all this day to avoid him. 
He is too disputable for my company ; I think of as 
many matters as he, but I give heaven thanks and 
make no boast of them. Come, warble, come. 



SONG 

Who doth ambition shun 

[All together here. 
And loves to live /' the sun^ 
Seeking the food he eats 
And pleas^ d with what he gets, 40 

Come hither, come hither, come hither ; 
Here shall he see 
No enemy 
But winter and rough weather. 



62 As You Like It [Act ii 

Jaques. I '11 give you a verse to this note that I made 
yesterday in despite of my invention. 
Amiens. And I '11 sing it. 
Jaques. Thus it goes : — 

If it do come to pass 

That any man turn ass, . ' 50 

Leaving his wealth and ease, 
A stubboim will to please, 
Ducdame, ducdame, due dame ; 
Here shall he see 
Gross fools as he, 
An if he will come to me. 

Amiens. What 's that ^ ducdame ? ' 

Jaques. 'T is a Greek invocation, to call fools into 
a circle. I '11 go sleep, if I can ; if I cannot, I '11 rail 
against all the firstborn of Egypt. 60 

Amiens. And I '11 go seek the duke ; his banquet is 
prepared. \_Exeunt severally. 

Scene VI. The Forest 
Enter Orlando and Adam 

Adam. Dear master, I can go no further. O, I die 
for food ! Here lie I down, and measure out my 
grave. Farewell, kind master. 

Orlando. Why, how now, Adam ! no greater heart 
in thee? Live a little, comfort a little, cheer thyself 



Scene VII] As You Like It 6^ 

a little. If this uncouth forest yield any thing savage, 
I will either be food for it or bring it for food to thee. 
Thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers. For my 
sake be comfortable ; hold death awhile at the arm's 
end. I will here be with thee presently, and if I bring lo 
thee not something to eat, I will give thee leave to die ; 
but if thou diest before I come, thou art a mocker of 
my labour. Well said ! thou lookest cheerly, and I '11 
be with thee quickly. — Yet thou liest in the bleak air ; 
come, I will bear thee to some shelter, and thou shalt 
not die for lack of a dinner if there live any thing in 
this desert. Cheerly, good Adam ! \_Exeunt. 

Scene VII. The Forest 

A table set out. Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, and Lords 

like Outlaws 

Duke Senior, I think he be transform'd into a beast ; 
For I can no where find him like a man. 

Fii'st Lord. My lord, he is but even now gone hence ; 
Here was he merry, hearing of a song. 

Duke Senior. If he, compact of jars, grow musical, 
We shall have shortly discord in the spheres. 
Go seek him ; tell him I would speak with him. 

Enter Jaques 

First Lord. He saves my labour by his own approach. 
Duke Senior. Why, how now, monsieur ! what a life 
is this, 



64 As You Like It [Act 11 

That your poor friends must woo your company ! 10 

What, you look merrily ! 

Jaques, A fool, a fool ! I met a fool i' the forest, 
A motley fool ! — a miserable world ! — 
As I do live by food, I met a fool, 
Who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun, 
And rail'd on Lady Fortune in good terms, 
In good set terms, and yet a motley fool. 
' Good morrow, fool,' quoth I. '■ No, sir,' quoth he, 
' Call me not fool till heaven hath sent me fortune.' 
And then he drew a dial from his poke, 20 

And, looking on it with lack-lustre eye. 
Says very wisely, ' It is ten o'clock ; 
Thus we may see,' quoth he, ' how the world wags. 
'T is but an hour ago since it was nine, 
And after one hour more 't will be eleven ; 
And so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe, 
And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot ; 
And thereby hangs a tale.' When I did hear 
The motley fool thus moral on the time, 
My lungs began to crow like chanticleer, 30 

That fools should be so deep-contemplative, 
And I did laugh sans intermission 
An hour by his dial. — O noble fool ! 
A worthy fool ! Motley 's the only wear. 

Duke Senior. What fool is this? 

/agues. O worthy fool ! — One that hath been a courtier. 
And says, if ladies be but young and fair. 
They have the gift to know it ; and in his brain. 



Scene VII] As You Like It 6^ 

Which is as dry as the remainder biscuit 

After a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd 40 

With observation, the whicli he vents 

In mangled forms. — O that I were a fool ! 

I am ambitious for a motley coat. 

Duke Senior. Thou shalt have one. 

Jaques. It is my only suit ; 

Provided that you weed your better judgments 
Of all opinion that grows rank in them 
That I am wise. I must have liberty 
Withal, as large a charter as the wind, ^ 
To blow on whom I please, for so fools have ; 
And they that are most galled v/ith my folly, 50 

They most must laugh. And why, sir, must they so? 
The ' why ' is plain as way to parish church. 
He that a fool doth very wisely hit 
Doth very foolishly, although he smart. 
But to seem senseless of the bob ; if not. 
The wise man's folly is anatomiz'd 
Even by the squandering glances of the fool. 
Invest me in my motley ; give me leave 
To speak my mind, and I will through and through 
Cleanse the foul body of the infected world, 60 

If they will patiently receive my medicine. 

Duke Senior. Fie on thee ! I can tell what thou 
wouldst do. 

Jaques. What, for a counter, would I do but good? 

Duke Senior. Most mischievous foul sin, in chiding sin ; 
For thou thyself hast been a libertine, 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 5 



66 As You Like It [Act ii 

As sensual as the brutish sting itself, 
And all the embossed sores and headed evils 
That thou with license of free foot hast caught 
Wouldst thou disgorge into the general world. 

Jaques. Why, who cries out on pride, 70 

That can therein tax any private party? 
Doth it not flow as hugely as the sea, 
Till that the wearer's very means do ebb? 
What woman in the city do I name 
When that I say the city woman bears 
The cost of princes on unworthy shouldei's ? 
Who can come in and say that I mean her, 
When such a one as she such is her neighbour? 
Or what is he of basest function 

That says his bravery is not on my cost, 80 

Thinking that I mean him, but therein suits 
His folly to the mettle of my speech? 
There then ; how then ? what then ? Let me see wherein 
My tongue hath wrong'd him. If it do him right. 
Then he hath wrong'd himself; if he be free, 
Why then my taxing like a wild-goose flies, 
Unclaim'd of any man. — But who comes here? 

: . Enter Orlando, with his sword draivn 

Orlando. Forbear, and eat no more. 

Jaques. Why, I have eat 

none yet. 
Orlando. Nor shalt not, till necessity be serv'd. 
Jaques. Of what kind should this cock come of? 90 



Scene VII] As You Like It 67 

Duke Senior. Art thou thus bolden'd, man, by thy 
distress, 
Or else a rude despiser of good manners, 
That in civility thou seem'st so empty ? 

Orlando. You touch'd my vein at first ; the thorny point 
Of bare distress hath ta'en from me the show 
Of smooth civility, yet am I inland bred 
And know some nurture. But forbear, I say ; 
He dies that touches any of this fruit 
Till I and my affairs are answered. 

Jaques. An you will not be answered with reason, I too 
must die. 

Duke Senior. What would you have ? Your gentleness 
shall force. 
More than your force move us to gentleness. 

Orlando. I almost die for food, and let me have it. 

Duke Senior. Sit down and feed, and welcome to our 
table. 

Orlando. Speak you so gently ? Pardon me, I pray you. 
I thought that all things had been savage here, 
And therefore put I on the countenance 
Of stern commandment. But whate'er you are 
That in this desert inaccessible, no 

Under the shade of melancholy boughs, 
Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time, 
If ever you have look'd on better days. 
If ever been where bells have knoll'd to church. 
If ever sat at any good man's feast. 
If ever from your eyelids wip'd a tear, 



68 As You Like It [Act ii 

And know what 't is to pity and be pitied, 
Let gentleness my strong enforcement be ; 
In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword. 

Duke Senior. True is it that we have seen better days, 120 
And have with holy bell been knoll'd to church. 
And sat at good men's feasts, and wip'd our eyes 
Of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd ; 
And therefore sit you down in gentleness, 
And take upon command what help we have 
That to your wanting may be minister'd. 

Orlando. Then but forbear your food a little while. 
Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn 
And give it food. There is an old poor man. 
Who after me hath many a weary step 130 

Limp'd in pure love ; till he be first suffic'd, 
Oppress'd with two weak evils, age and hunger, 
I will not touch a bit. 

Duke Senior. Go find him out. 

And we will nothing waste till you return. 

Orlando. I thank ye ; and be blest for your good 
comfort ! \_Exit. 

Duke Senior. Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy ; 
This wide and universal theatre 
Presents more woeful pageants than the scene 
.VJ/lierein we play in. 

Jdques. All the world 's a stage, 

And all the men and women merely players j 140 

They have their exits and their entrances. 
And one man in his time plays many parts, 



Scene VII] As You Like It 69 

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, 

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms ; 

Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel 

And shining morning face, creeping hke snail 

Unwillingly to school ; and then the lover. 

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad 

Made to his mistress' eyebrow ; then a soldier, 

Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, 150 

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel. 

Seeking the bubble reputation 

Even in the cannon's mouth ; and then the justice, 

In fair round belly with good capon lin'd, 

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut. 

Full of wise saws and modern instances ; 

And so he plays his part.l The sixth age shifts 

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, 

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, 

His youthful hose well sav'd, a w^orld too wide 160 

For his shrunk shank ; and his big manly voice. 

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes 

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all. 

That ends this strange eventful history. 

Is second childishness and mere oblivion. 

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing. 



Entei' Orlando, with Adam 
Duke Senior. Welcome. Set down your venerable 
burden. 
And let him feed. 



yo As You Like It [Act ii 

Orlando. I thank you most for him. 

Adam. So had you need ; 

I scarce can speak to thank you for myself. 170 

Duke Senior. Welcome ; fall to. I will not trouble you 
As yet, to question you about your fortunes. — 
Give us some music ; and, good cousin, sing. 

Song 

Amiens. Blow, blow, thou winter wind, 
Thou art not so unkind 
As man's ingratitude ; 
Thy tooth is not so keen, 
Because thou art not seen. 
Although thy breath be rude. 
Hei^h-ho ! sing, heigh-ho ! unto the green holly; 180 
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly ; 
Then, heigh-ho, the holly / 
This life is most jolly I 

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, 
That dost not bite so nigh 

As benefits foi'got ; 
Though thou the waters wai'p. 
Thy sting is not so sharp 

As friend remember' d not. 
Heigh-ho ! sing, etc. 190 

Duke Senior. If that you were the good Sir Rowland's 
son. 



Scene VII] As You Like It 71 

As you have whisper'd faithfully you were, 

And as mine eye doth his effigies witness 

Most truly Hmn'd and living in your face, 

Be truly welcome hither. I am the duke 

That lov'd your father ; the residue of your fortune. 

Go to my cave and tell me. — Good old man, 

Thou art right welcome as thy master is. — 

Support him by the arm. — Give me your hand, 

And let me all your fortunes understand. [Exeunt. 200 



\ 



l^ 




"Sweet Phebe, do not scorn me" 



ACT III 



Scene I. A Roo7n in the Palace 



Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, and Oliver 

Duke Frederick. Not see him since? Sir, sir, that 
cannot be ; 
But were I not the better part made mercy, 
I should not seek an absent argument 

72 



Scene II J As You Like It 73 

Of my revenge, thou present. But look to it ; 

Find out thy brother, wheresoe'er he is. 

Seek him with candle ; bring him dead or Hving 

Within this twelvemonth, or turn thou no more 

To seek a living in our territory. 

Thy lands and all things that thou dost call thine 

Worth seizure do we seize into our hands, 10 

Till thou canst quit thee by thy brother's mouth 

Of what we think against thee. 

Oliver. O that your highness knew my heart in this ! 
I never lov'd my brother in my life^ 

Duke Frederick. More villain thou. — Well, push him 
out of doors. 
And let my officers of such a nature 
Make an extent upon his house and lands. 
Do this expediently, and turn him going. \_Exeunt. 



Scene II. The Forest 
Enter Orlando, with a paper 

Oi'lando. Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love ; 

And thou, thrice-crowned queen of night, survey 
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above, f 

Thy huntress' name that my full life doth sway. 
O Rosahnd ! these trees shall be my books, 

And in their barks my thoughts I '11 character, 
That every eye which in this forest looks 

Shall see thy virtue witness'd every where. 



74 As You Like It [Act iii 

Run, run, Orlando ; carve on every tree 

The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she. \_ExiL lo 

Enter Corin and Touchstone 

Corin. And how like you this shepherd's life, Mas- 
/ ter Touchstone ? 

/ Touchstone. Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it 
V/ is a good life ; but in respect that it is a shepherd's 
life, it is naught. In respect that it is solitary, I like 
it very well ; but in respect that it is private, it is a 
very vile hfe. Now, in respect it is in the fields, it 
pleaseth me well ; but in respect it is not in the court, 
it is tedious. As it is a spare hfe, look you, it fits 
my humour well ; but as there is no more plenty in 20 
it, it goes much against my stomach. Hast any phi- 
losophy in thee, shepherd ? 

Corin. No more but that I know the more one 
sickens the worse at ease he is ; and that he that wants 
money, means, and content is without three good 
friends ; that the property of rain is to wet and fire to 
burn ; that good pasture makes fat sheep, and that a 
great cause of the night is lack of the sun ; that he that 
hath learned no wit by nature nor art may complain 
of good breeding, or comes of a very dull kindred. 30 

Touchstone. Such a one is a natural philosopher, 
-i ;- Wast ever in court, shepherd? 

Corin. No, truly. 
v^' Touchstone. Then thou art damned. 

Corin. Nay, I hope, — 



7^. 



Scene II] As You Like It 

Touchstone. Truly, thou art damned, like an ill- 
roasted egg all on one side. I 

Corin. For not being at court? Your reason. 

Touchstone. Why, if thou never wast at court, thou 
never savv'st good manners ; if thou never saw'st good 40 
manners, then thy manners must be wicked ; and 1 
wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation. Thou art in 
a parlous state, shepherd. 

Corin. Not a whit. Touchstone ; those that are good 
manners at the court are as ridiculous in the country 
as the behaviour of the country is most mockable at the 
court. You told me you salute not at the court, but you 
kiss your hands ; that courtesy would be uncleanly, if 
courtiers were shepherds. 

Toiichsto7ie. Instance, briefly ; come, instance. 50 

Corin. Why, we are still handling our ewes, and 
their fells, you know, are greasy. 

Touchstone. Why, do not your courtier's hands 
sweat? and is not the grease of a mutton as whole- 
some as the sweat of a man ? Shallow, shallow ! A 
better instance, I say ; come. 

Corin. Besides, our hands are hard. 

Touchstone. Your lips will feel them the sooner. 
Shallow again ! A more sounder instance ; come. 
. Corin. And they are often tarred over with the 60 
surgery of our sheep ; and would you have us kiss 
tar? The courtier's hands are perfumed with civet. 

Touchstone. Most shallow man ! thou worms'-meat, 
in respect of a good piece of flesh indeed ! Learn of 



76 As You Like It [Act ill 

the wise, and perpend ; civet is of a baser birth than 
tar, the very uncleanly flux of a cat. Mend the in- 
stance, shepherd. 

Corin. You have too courtly a wit for me ; I '11 rest. 

Touchstone. Wilt thou rest damned? God help 
thee, shallow man ! God make incision in thee ! thou 70 
art raw. 

Corin. Sir, I am a true labourer : I earn that I eat, 
get that I wear ; owe no man hate, envy no man's 
happiness ; glad of other men's good, content with my 
harm j and the greatest of my pride is to see my ewes 
graze and my lambs suck. 

Touchstone. That is another simple sin in you, to 
bring the ewes and the rams together. If thou be'st 
not damned for this, the devil himself will have no ' 
shepherds ; I cannot see else how thou shouldst 80 
scape. 

Corin. Here comes young Master Ganymede, my 
new mistress's brother. 

Enter Rosalind, reading a paper 

Rosalind. From the east to western Ind, 
No Jewel is like Rosalind. 
Her wo7'th, being mounted on the wind, 
Through all the world bears Rosalind. 
All the pictures fairest liiC d 
Are but black to Rosalind. 
Let no face be kept in mind 90 

But the fair of Rosalind. 



Scene II] As You Like It 77 

Touchstone. I '11 rhyme you so eight years together, 
dinners and suppers and sleeping-hours excepted; it 
is the right butter-women's rank to market. 
Rosalind. Out, fool ! 
Touchstone. For a taste : 

If a hart do lack a hind, 
Let him seek out Rosalind. 
If the cat will after kind, 
So be sure will Rosalind. 100 

Winter garments must be lin'd, 
So must slender Rosalind. 
They that reap must sheaf and bind ; 
Then to cart with Rosalind. 
Sweetest nut hath sourest rind, 
Such a nut is Rosalind, 
i He that sweetest rose will find 
Must find love's prick and Rosahnd. 
This is the very false gallop of verses ; why do you 
infect yourself with them ? no 

Rosalind. Peace, you dull fool ! I found them on 

a tree. 
Touchstone. Truly, the tree yields bad fruit. 
Rosalind. I '11 graff it with you, and then I shall 
graff it with a medlar ; then it will be the earliest 
fruit i' the country, for you '11 be rotten ere you 
be half ripe, and that 's the right virtue of the 
medlar. 

Touchstone. You have said j but whether wisely or 
no, let the forest judge. 



78 V As You Like It [Act iii 

Enter Celia, with a writing 

Rosalind. Peace ! 120 

Here comes my sister, reading j stand aside. 
Ce'ia. [Reads] 

Why should this a desert be ? 

For it is tmpeopled ? No; 
Tongues I '11 hang on every tree, 

That shall civil sayings show : 
Some, how brief the life of man 

Runs his erring pilgrimage, 
That the stretching of a span 

Buckles in his sum of age ; 
Some, of violated vows 130 

''Twixt the souls of fiend and friend. 
But upon the fairest boughs, 

Or at every sentence end. 
Will I Rosalinda write ^ 

Teaching all that read to know 
The quintessence of every sprite 

Heaven would i?i little show. 
Therefoi^e Heaven Nature chai^g'd 

That one body should be filPd 
With all gi'aces wide-enlarg' d ; 140 

Nature p7^esently distilVd 
Helen's cheek, but not her heart, 

Cleopatra' s majesty, 
Atalantd's better part. 

Sad Lucr end's modesty. 



Scene II] As You Like It . 79 

Thus Rosalind of many parts 

By heavenly synod was devised, 
Of many faces J eyes, and hearts, 
To have the touches dearest priz'd. 
Heaven would that she these gifts should have, 150 
And I to live and die her slave. 
Rosalind. O most gentle Jupiter ! what tedious 
homily of love have you wearied your parishioners 
withal, and never cried, ' Have patience, good people !' 
Celia. How now ! back, friends ! — Shepherd, go off 
a little. — Go with him, sirrah. ^ ^^ 

Touchstone. Come, shepherd, let us make an hon- 
ourable retreat ; though not with bag and baggage, yet 
with scrip and scrippage. 

\_Exeunt Corin and Touchstone. 
Celia. Didst thou hear these verses ? 160 

Rosalind. O, yes, I heard them all, and more too ; 
for some of them had in them more feet than the verses 
would bear. 

Celia. That 's no matter ; the feet might bear the 
verses. 

Rosalind. Ay, but the feet were lame and could not 
bear themselves without the verse, and therefore stood 
lamely in the verse. 

Celia. But didst thou hear without wondering how 
thy name should be hanged and carved upon these 170 
trees ? 

Rosalind. I was seven of the nine days out of the 
wonder before you came ; for look here what I found 



8o As You Like It [Act iii 

on a palm-tree. I was never so be-rhymed since Py- 
thagoras' time, that I was an Irish rat, which I can 
hardly remember. 

Celia. Trow you who hath done this? 

Rosalind. Is it a man? 

Celia. And a chain, that you once wore, about his 
neck? Change you colour? i8o 

Rosalind. I prithee, who ? 

Celia. O Lord, Lord ! It is a hard matter for friends 
to meet ; but mountains may be removed with earth- 
quakes and so encounter. 

Rosalind. Nay, but who is it? 

Celia. Is it possible? 

Rosalind. Nay, I prithee now with most petitionary 
vehemence, tell me who it is. 

Celia. O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonder- 
ful wonderful ! and yet again wonderful, and after that, 190 
out of all whooping ! 

Rosalind. Good my complexion ! dost thou think, 
though I am caparisoned like a man, I have a doublet 
and hose in my disposition? One inch of delay more 
is a South Sea of discovery. I prithee, tell me who is 
it quickly, and speak apace. I would thou couldst stam- 
mer, that thou mightst pour this concealed man out of 
thy mouth, as wine comes out of a narrow- mouthed 
bottle, either too much at once, or none at all. I prithee, 
take the cork out of thy mouth, that I may drink thy 200 
tidings. Is he of God's making ? What manner of man ? 
Is his head worth a hat, or his chin worth a beard ? 



Scene II] As You Like It 8 1 

Celia. Nay, he hath but a little beard. 

Rosalind. Why, God will send more, if the man will 
be thankful ; let me stay the growth of his beard, if 
thou delay me not the knowledge of his chin. 

Celia. It is young Orlando, that tripped up the 
wrestler's heels and your heart both in an instant. 

Rosalind. Nay, but the devil take mocking ! speak 
sad brow and true maid. 210 

Celia. I' faith, coz, 't is he. 

Rosalind. Orlando ? 

Celia. Orlando. 

Rosalind. Alas the day ! what shall I do with my 
doublet and hose? — What did he when thou sawest 
him? What said he? How looked he? Wherein 
went he? What makes he here? Did he ask for me? 
Where remains he ? How parted he with thee ? and 
when shalt thou see him again? Answer me in one 
word. 220 

Celia. You must borrow me Gargantua's mouth first ; 
't is a word too great for any mouth of this age's size. 
To say ay and no to these particulars is more than to 
yaswer in a catechism. 

Rosalind. But doth he know that I am in this forest 
And in man's apparel? Looks he as freshly as he did 
the day he wrestled? 

Celia. It is as easy to count atomies as to resolve 
the propositions of a lover ; but take a taste of my find- 
ing him, and relish it with good observance. I found 230 
him under a tree, like a dropped acorn. 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 6 



82 As You Like It [Act iii 

Rosalind. It may well be called Jove's tree, when it 
drops forth such fruit. 

Celia. Give me audience, good madam. 

Rosalind. Proceed. 

Celia. There lay he, stretched along, like a wounded 
knight. 

Rosalind. Though it be pity to see such a sight, it 
well becomes the ground. 

Celia. Cry * holla ' to thy tongue, I prithee ; it 240 
curvets unseasonably. He was furnished like a 
hunter. 

Rosalind. O, ominous ! he comes to kill my heart. 

Celia. I would sing my song without a burden; 
thou bringest me out of tune. 

Rosalind. Do you not know I am a woman? when 
I think, I must speak. Sweet, say on. 

Celia. You bring me out. — Soft ! comes he not 

here? 

Enter Orlando and Jaques 

Rosalind. 'T is he ; slink by, and note him. 250 

Jaques. I thank you for your company; but, good 
faith, I had as lief have been myself alone. 

Orlando. And so had I ; but yet, for fashion sake, 
I thank you too for your society. 

Jaques. God be wi' you ! let 's meet as little as we 
can. 

Orlando. I do desire we may be better strangers. 

Jaques. I pray you, mar no more trees with writing 
love-songs in their barks. 



Scene II J • As You Like It 83 

Orlando. I pray you, mar no moe of my verses 260 
with reading them ill-favouredly. 
Jaques. Rosalind is your love's name? 
Orlando. Yes, just. 
/agues. I do not like her name. 
Orlando. There was no thought of pleasing you 
when she was christened. 
Jaques. What stature is she of ? 
Orlando. Just as high as my heart. 
Jaques. You are full of pretty answers. Have you 
not been acquainted with goldsmiths' wives, and 270 
conned them out of rings ? 

Orlando. Not so ; but I answer you right painted 
cloth, from whence you have studied your questions. 

Jaques. You have a nimble wit ; I think 't was 
made of Atalanta's heels. Will you sit down with me ? 
and we two will rail against our mistress the world and 
all our misery. 

Orlando. I will chide no breather in the world but 
myself, against whom I know most faults. 
Jaques. The worst fault you have is to be in love. 280 
Orlando. 'T is a fault I will not change for your 
best virtue. I am weary of you. 

Jaques. By my troth, I was seeking for a fool when 
I found you. 

Orlando. He is drowned in the brook; look but 
in, and you shall see him. 
Jaques. There I shall see mine own figure. 
Orlando. Which I take to be either a fool or a cipher. 



84 As You Like It [Act in 

Jaques. I '11 tarry no longer with you ; farewell, 
good Signior Love. 290 

Orlando. I am glad of your departure ; adieu, good 
Monsieur Melancholy. \_Exit Jaques. 

Rosalind. \_Aside to Celia] I will speak to him like 
a saucy lackey, and under that habit play the knave 
with him. — Do you hear, forester ? 

Orlando. Very well : what would you ? 

Rosalind. I pray you, what is 't o'clock? 

Orlando. You should ask me what time o' day; 
there 's no clock in the forest. 

Rosalind. Then there is no true lover in the forest ; 300 
else sighing every minute and groaning every hour 
would detect the lazy foot of Time as well as a clock. 

Orlando. And why not the swift foot of Time? had 
not that been as proper? 

Rosalind. By no means, sir ; Time travels in divers 
paces with divers persons. I '11 tell you who Time 
ambles withal, who Time trots withal, who Time gal- 
lops withal, and who he stands still withal. 

Orlando. I prithee, who doth he trot withal? 

Rosalind. Marry, he trots hard with a young maid 310 
between the contract of her marriage and the day 
it is solemnized : if the interim be but a se'nnight. 
Time's pace is so hard that it seems the length of 
seven year. 

Orlando. Who ambles Time withal? 

Rosalind. With a priest that lacks Latin, and a rich 
man that hath not the gout ; for the one sleeps easily 



Scene iij As You. Like It 85 

because he cannot study, and the other lives merrily 
because he feels no pain ; the one lacking the burden 
of lean and wasteful learning, the other knowing no 320 
burden of heavy tedious penury ; these Time ambles 
withal. 

Orlando. Who doth he gallop withal? 

Rosalind. With a thief to the gallows ; for though 
he go as softly as foot can fall, he thinks himself too 
soon there. 

Orlando. Who stays it still withal? 

Rosalind. With lawyers in the vacation ; for they 
sleep between term and term, and then they perceive 
not how Time moves. 330 

Orlando. Where dwell you, pretty youth ? 

Rosalind. With this shepherdess, my sister ; here 
in the skirts of the forest, like fringe upon a petticoat. 

Oi'lando. Are you native of this place ? 

Rosalind. As the cony that you see dwell where 
she is kindled. 

Orlando. Your accent is something finer than you 
could purchase in so removed a dwelHng. 

Rosalind. I have been tol4 so of many ; but indeed 
an old religious uncle of mino-taught me to speak, who 340 
was in his youth an inland man, one that knew court- 
ship too well, for there he fell in love. I have heard 
him read many lectures against it, and I thank God I 
am not a woman to be touched with so many giddy 
offences as he hath generally taxed their whole sex 
withal. 



86 As You Like It [Act ill 

Orlando. Can you remember any of the principal 
evils that he laid to the charge of women? 

Rosalind. There were none principal ; they were all 
like one another as half-pence are, every one fault seem- 350 
ing monstrous till his fellow-fault came to match it. 

Orlando. I prithee, recount some of them. 

Rosalind. No, I will not cast away my physic but 
on those that are sick. There is a man haunts the 
forest, that abuses our young plants with carving Rosa- 
lind on their barks ; hangs odes upon hawthorns and 
elegies on brambles, all, forsooth, deifying the name of 
Rosalind. If I could meet that fancy-monger, I would 
give him some good counsel, for he seems to have the 
quotidian of love upon him. 360 

Orlando. I am he that is so love-shaked ; I pray 
you, tell me your remedy. 

Rosalind. There is none of my uncle's marks upon 
you ; he taught me how to know a man in love, in 
which cage of rushes I am sure you are not prisoner. 

07'lando. What were his marks ? 

Rosalind. A lean cheek, which you have not ; a 
blue eye and sunken, which you have not ; an unques- 
tionable spirit, which you have not ; a beard neglected, 
which you have not; but I pardon you for that, for 370 
simply your having in beard is a younger brother's rev- 
enue. Then your hose should be ungartered, your 
bonnet unhanded, your sleeve unbuttoned, your shoe 
untied, and every thing about you demonstrating a 
careless desolation. But you are no such man ; you 



Scene II] As You Like It 87 

are rather point-device in your accoutrements, as lov- 
ing yourself than seeming the lover of any other. 

Orlafido. Fair youth, I would I could make thee 
believe I love. 

Rosalind. Me beUeve it ! you may as soon make 380 
her that you love beheve it, which, I warrant, she is 
apter to do than to confess she does ; that is one of 
the points in the which women still give the He to their 
consciences. But, in good sooth, are you he that 
hangs the verses on the trees, wherein Rosalind is so 
admired ? 

Orlando. I swear to thee, youth, by the white hand 
of Rosalind, I am that he, that unfortunate he. 

Rosalind. But are you so much in love as your 
rhymes speak? 39© 

Orlando. Neither rhyme nor reason can express 
how much. 

Rosalind. Love is merely a madness, and, I tell 
you, deserves as well a dark house and a whip as mad- 
men do; and the reason why they are not so punished 
and cured is, that the lunacy is so ordinary that the 
whippers are in love too. Yet I profess curing it by 
counsel. 

Orlando. Did you ever cure any so ? 

Rosalind. Yes, one, and in this manner. He was 400 
to imagine me his love, his mistress, and I set him 
every day to woo me ; at which time would I, being 
but a moonish youth, grieve, be effeminate, change- 
able, longing and liking, proud, fantastical, apish, shal- 



88 As You Like It [Act iii 

low, inconstant, full of tears, full of smiles, for every 
passion something and for no passion truly any thing, 
as boys and women are for the most part cattle of this 
colour; would now like him, now loathe him; then 
entertain him, then forswear him ; now weep for him, 
then spit at him ; that I drave my suitor from his mad 410 
humour of love to a living humour of madness, which 
was to forswear the full stream of the world and to live 
in a nook merely monastic. And thus I cured him ; 
and this way will I take upon me to wash your liver as 
clean as a sound sheep's heart, that there shall not be 
one spot of love in 't. 

Orlando. I would not be cured, youth. 

Rosalind. I would cure you, if you would but call me 
Rosalind and come every day to my cote and woo me. 

Orlando. Now, by the faith of my love, I will ; tell 420 
me where it is. 

Rosalind. Go with me to it and I '11 show it you, 
and by the way you shall tell me where in the forest 
you live. Will you go ? 

Orlando. With all my heart, good youth. 

Rosalind. Nay, you must call me Rosalind. — Come, 
sister, will you go? \_Exeunt. 

Scene III. The Forest 

Enter Touchstone and Audrey ; Jaques behind 

Totichstone. Come apace, good Audrey; I will 
fetch up your goats, Audrey, And how, Audrey? 



Scene III] As You Like It 89 

am I the man yet? doth my simple feature content 
you? 

Audrey. Your features ! Lord warrant us ! what 
features ? 

Touchstone. I am here with thee and thy goats, as 
the most capricious poet, honest Ovid, was among the 
Goths. 

Jaques. \^Aside\ O knowledge ill-inhabited, worse 10 
than Jove in a thatched house ! 

Touchstone. When a man's verses cannot be under- 
stood, nor a man's good wit seconded with the forward 
child Understanding, it strikes a man more dead than ' 
a great reckoning in a httle room. Truly, I would the 
gods had made thee poetical. 

Audrey. I do not know what poetical is ; is it hon- 
est in deed and word ? is it a true thing ? 

Touchstone. No, truly, for the truest poetry is the 
most feigning; and lovers are given to poetry, and 20 
what they swear in poetry may be said as lovers they 
do feign. 

Audrey. Do you wish then that the gods had made 
me poetical? 

Touchstone. I do, truly, for thou swear'st to me thou 
art honest ; now, if thou wert a poet, I might have 
some hope thou didst feign. 

Audrey. Would you not have me honest? 

Touchstone. No, truly, unless thou wert hard- 
favoured ; for honesty coupled to beauty is to have T)'^ 
honey a sauce to sugar. 



90 As You Like It [Act in 

Jaques. \_Aside\ A material fool ! 

Audrey. Well, I am not fair ; and therefore I pray 
the gods make me honest ! 

Touchstotie. Truly, and to cast away honesty upon 
a foul slut were to put good meat into an unclean 
dish. 

Audrey. I am not a slut, though I thank the gods I 
am foul. 

Touchstone. Well, praised be the gods for thy foul- 40 
ness ! sluttishness may come hereafter. But be it as 
it may be, I will marry thee, and to that end I have 
been with Sir Oliver Martext, the vicar of the next vil- 
lage, who hath promised to meet me in this place of 
the forest and to couple us. 

Jaques. \_Aside'\ I would fain see this meeting. 

Audrey. Well, the gods give us joy ! 

Touchstone. Amen ! A man may, if he were of a 
fearful heart, stagger in this attempt ; for here we have 
no temple but the wood, no assembly but horn-beasts. 50 
But what though ? Courage ! As horns are odious, 
they are necessary. It is said, ' many a man knows no 
end of his goods : ' right ! many a man has good horns, 
and knows no end of them. Well, that is the dowry of 
his wife ; 't is none of his own getting. Are horns 
given to poor men alone ? No, no ; the noblest deer 
hath them as huge as the rascal. Is the single man 
therefore blessed? No; as a walled town is more 
worthier than a village, so is the forehead of a married 
man more honourable than the bare brow of a bach- 60 



Scene III] As You Like It 91 

elor ; and by how much defence is better than no skill, 
by so much is a horn more precious than to want. 
Here comes Sir Oliver. — 

Enter Sir Oliver Martext 

Sir Oliver Martext, you are well met \ will you dispatch 
us here under this tree, or shall we go with you to your 
chapel ? 

Sir Oliver. Is there none here to give the woman? 

Touchstone. I will not take her on gift of any man. 

Sir Oliver. Truly, she must be given, or the mar- 
riage is not lawful. 70 

Jaques. \_Advancing] Proceed, proceed ; I '11 give 
her. 

Touchstone. Good even, good Master What-ye- 
call-'t ; how do you, sir ? You are very well met ; 
God 'ield you for your last company ! I am very glad 
to see you ; — even a toy in hand here, sir ; — nay, 
pray be covered. 

Jaques. Will you be married, motley ? 
Touchstone. As the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse 
his curb, and the falcon her bells, so man hath his 80 
desires ; and as pigeons bill, so wedlock would be 
nibbling. 

Jaques. And will you, being a man of your breed- 
ing, be married under a bush like a beggar? Get 
you to church, and have a good priest that can tell 
you what marriage is. This fellow will but join you 
together as they join wainscot ; then one of you will 



92 As You Like It [Act iii 

prove a shrunk panel and, like green timber, warp, 
warp. 

Touchstone. \^Aside\ I am not in the mind but I 90 
were better to be married of him than of another ; for 
he is not like to marry me well, and not being well 
married, it will be a good excuse for me hereafter to 
leave my wife. 
Jaques. Go thou with me, and let me counsel thee. 
Touchstone. Come, sweet Audrey. — 
Farewell, good Master Oliver ; not — 
' O sweet Oliver, 
O brave Oliver, 
Leave me not behind thee : ' 100 

but — 

' Wind away, 
Begone, I say, 
I will not to wedding with thee.^ 
\_Exeimt Jaques, Touchsto7te, and Audi^ey. 
Sir Oliver. 'T is no matter ; ne'er a fantastical 
knave of them all shall flout me out of my calHng. 

\_Exit. 

Scene IV. The Forest. Before a Cottage 

Enter Rosalind and Celia 

Rosalind. Never talk to me ; I will weep. 
Celia. Do, I prithee ; but yet have the grace to 
consider that tears do not become a man. 
Rosalind. But have I not cause to weep? 



Scene IV] As You Like It 93 

Celia. As good cause as one would desire ; there- 
fore weep. 

Rosalind. His very hair is of the dissembhng 
colour. 

Celia. Something browner than Judas's ; marry, his 
kisses are Judas's own children. 10 

Rosalind. V faith, his hair is of a good colour. 

Celia. An excellent colour ; your chestnut was ever 
the only colour. 

Rosalind. And his kissing is as full of sanctity as 
the touch of holy bread. 

Celia. He hath bought a pair of cast lips of Diana ; 
a nun of winter's sisterhood kisses not more reli- 
giously ; the very ice of chastity is in them. 

Rosalind. But why did he swear he would come 
this morning, and comes not? 20 

Celia. Nay, certainly, there is no truth in him. 

Rosalind. Do you think so? 

Celia. Yes. I think he is not a pick-purse nor a 
horse- stealer ; but for his verity in love, I do think him 
as concave as a covered goblet or a worm-eaten nut. 

Rosalind. Not true in love ? 

Celia. Yes, when he is in ; but I think he is not in. 

Rosalind. You have heard him swear downright he 
was. 

Celia. Was is not is ; besides, the oath of a lover 30 
is no stronger than the word of a tapster ; they are 
both the confirmer of false reckonings. He attends 
here in the forest on the duke your father. 



94 As You Like It [Act iii 

Rosalind. I met the duke yesterday and had much 
question with him. He asked me of what parentage 
I was; I told him, of as good as he, so he laughed 
and let me go. But what talk we of fathers, when 
there is such a man as Orlando? 

Celia. O, that 's a brave man ! he writes brave 
verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and 40 
breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart 
of his lover; as a puisny tilter, that spurs his horse 
but on one side, breaks his staff like a noble goose. 
But all 's brave that youth mounts and folly guides. — 
Who comes here? 

Enter Corin 

Corin. Mistress and master, you have oft inquir'd 
After the shepherd that complain'd of love, 
Who you saw sitting by me on the turf. 
Praising the proud disdainful shepherdess 
That was his mistress. 

Celia. Well, and what of him ? 50 

Corin. If you will see a pageant truly play'd, 
Between the pale complexion of true love 
And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain. 
Go hence a little and I shall conduct you, 
If you will mark it. 

Rosalind. O, come, let us remove ; 

The sight of lovers feedeth those in love. — 
Bring us to see this sight, and you shall say 
I '11 prove a busy actor in their play. \_Exeunt, 



Scene vj As You Like It 95 

Scene V. Another Part of the Forest 

Enter Silvius and Phebe 

Silvias, Sweet Phebe, do not scorn me, do not, Phebe ; 
Say that you love me not, but say not so 
In bitterness. The common executioner. 
Whose heart the accustom'd sight of death makes hard. 
Falls not the axe upon the humbled neck 
But first begs pardon ; will you sterner be 
Than he that dies and lives by bloody drops ? 

Enter Rosalind, Celia, and Corin* behind 

Phebe. I would not be thy executioner ; 
I fly thee, for I would not injure thee. 
Thou tell'st me there is murther in mine eye ; 10 

'T is pretty, sure, and very probable. 
That eyes, that are the frail'st and softest things, 
Who shut their coward gates on atomies, 
Should be call'd tyrants, butchers, murtherers ! 
Now I do frown on thee with all my heart ; 
And if mine eyes can wound, now let them kill thee. 
Now counterfeit to swoon ; why, now fall down ; 
Or if thou canst not, O, for shame, for shame. 
Lie not, to say mine eyes are murtherers ! 
Now show the wound mine eye hath made in thee. 20 
Scratch thee but with a pin, and there remains 
Some scar of it ; lean but upon a rush, 
The cicatrice and capable impressure 



96 As You Like It [Act iii 

Thy palm some moment keeps ; but now mine eyes, 
Which I have darted at thee, hurt thee not, 
Nor, I am sure, there is no force in eyes 
That can do hurt. 

Silviics. O dear Phebe, 

If ever — as that ever may be near — 
You meet in some fresh cheek the power of fancy, 
Then shall you know the wounds invisible 30 

That love's keen arrows make. 

Phebe. But till that time 

Come not thou near me ; and when that time comes. 
Afflict me with thy mocks, pity me not. 
As till that time I shall not pity thee. 

Rosalind. \_Advancing\ And why, I pray you? Who 
might be your mother, 
That you insult, exult, and all at once. 
Over the wretched ? What though you have no beauty, — 
As, by my faith, I see no more in you 
Than without candle may go dark to bed, — 
Must you be therefore proud and pitiless ? 40 

Why, what means this? Why do you look on me? 
I see no more in you than in the ordinary 
Of nature's sale-work. — 'Od's my little Hfe, 
I think she means to tangle my eyes too ! — 
No,, faith, proud mistress, hope not after it ; 
'T is not your inky brows, your black silk hair. 
Your bugle eyeballs, nor your cheek of cream, 
That can entarae my spirits to your worship. — 
You foolish shepherd, wherefore do you follow her, 



Scene V] As You Like It 97 

Like foggy south puffing with wind and rain ? 50 

You are a thousand times a properer man 

Than she a woman ; 't is such fools as you 

That makes the world full of ill-favour'd children. 

'T is not her glass, but you, that flatters her ; 

And out of you she sees herself more proper 

Than any of her lineaments can show her. — 

But, mistress, know yourself; down on your knees, 

And thank heaven, fasting, for a good man's love, 

For I must tell you friendly in your ear. 

Sell when you can, you are not for all markets. 60 

Cry the man mercy, love him, take his offer ; 

Foul is most foul, being foul to be a scoffer. — 

So take her to thee, shepherd ; fare you well. 

Phebe. Sweet youth, I pray you, chide a year to- 
gether ; 
I had rather hear you chide than this man woo. 

Rosalind. He 's fallen in love with your /oulness, 
and she '11 fall in love with my anger. — If it be soj as 
fest as she answers thee with frowning looks, I '11 sauce 
her with bitter words. — Why look you so upon me ? 

Phebe. For no ill will I bear you. 70 

Rosalind. I pray you, do not fall in love with me. 
For I am falser than vows made in wine ; 
Besides, I like you not. — If you will know my house, 
'T is at the tuft of olives here hard by. — 
Will you go, sister? — Shepherd, ply her hard. — 
Come, sister. — Shepherdess, look on him better. 
And be not proud ; though all the world could see, 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 7 



98 As You Like It [Act iii 

None could be so abus'd in sight as he. — 
Come, to our flock. 

\_Exeunt Rosalind, Celia, and Corin. 

Phebe. Dead shepherd, now I find thy saw of might, 80 
* Who ever lov'd that lov'd not at first sight ? ' 

Silvius. Sweet Phebe, — 

Phebe. Ha ! what say'st thou, Silvius ? 

Silvius. Sweet Phebe, pity me. 

Phebe. Why, I am sorry for thee, gentle Silvius. 

Silvius. Wherever sorrow is, relief would be ; 
If you do sorrow at my grief in love. 
By giving love your sorrow and my grief 
Were both extermin'd. 

Phebe. Thou hast my love; is not that neighbourly? 

Silvius. I would have you. 

Phebe. Why, that were covetousness. 90 

Silvius, the time was that I hated thee. 
And yet it is not that I bear thee love ; 
But since that thou canst talk of love so well. 
Thy company, which erst was irksome to me, 
I will endure, and I '11 employ thee too. 
But do not look for further recompense 
Than thine own gladness that thou art employ'd. 

Silvius. So holy and so perfect is my love. 
And I in such a poverty of grace, 

That I shall think it a most plenteous crop 100 

To glean the broken ears after the man 
That the main harvest reaps ; loose now and then 
A scatter' d smile, and that I '11 live upon. 



Scene V] As You Like It 99 

Phebe. Know'st thou the youth that spoke to me ere- 
while ? 

Silvius. Not very well, but I have met him oft j 
And he hath bought the cottage and the bounds 
That the old carlot once was master of. 

Phebe. Think not I love him, though I ask for him. 
'T is but a peevish boy ; yet he talks well. 
But what care I for words? yet words do well no 

^When he that speaks them pleases those that hear. 
It is a pretty youth — not very pretty ; 
But, sure, he 's proud, and yet his pride becomes him. 
He '11 make a proper man ; the best thing in him 
Is his complexion ; and faster than his tongue 
Did make offence his eye did heal it up. 
He is not very tall ; yet for his years he 's tall. 
His leg is but so-so ; and yet 't is well. 
There was a pretty redness in his lip, 
A little riper and more lusty red 120 

Than that mix'd in his cheek; 't was just the difference 
Betwixt the constant red and mingled damask. 
There be some women, Silvius, had they mark'd him 
In parcels as I did, would have gone near 
To fall in love with him ; but, for my part, 
I love him not nor hate him not, and yet 
I have more cause to hate him than to love him ; 
For what had he to do to chide at me ? 
He said mine eyes were black and my hair black, 
And, now I am remember'd, scorn'd at me. 130 

I marvel why I answer' d not again ; 

LofC.^ 



lOO As You Like It [Act iii 

But that 's all one, omittance is no quittance. 
I '11 write to him a very taunting letter, 
And thou shalt bear it ; wilt thou, Silvius ? 

Silvius. Phebe, with all my heart. 

Phebe. I '11 write it straight ; 

The matter 's in my head and in my heart. 
I will be bitter with him and passing short. 
Go with me, Silvius. \_Exeunt. 










"Be of Good Cheer, Youth" 



ACT IV 



Scene I. The Forest 



Enter Rosalind, Celia, and Jaques 

Jaques. I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better 
acquainted with thee. 

Rosalind. They say you are a melancholy fellow. 
Jaques. I am so ; I do love it better than laughing. 

lOI 



I02 As You Like It [Act iv 

Rosalind. Those that are in extremity of either are 
abominable fellows, and betray themselves to every 
modern censure worse than drunkards. 

Jaques, Why, 't is good to be sad and say nothing. 

Rosalind. Why then, 't is good to be a post. 

Jaques. I have neither the scholar's melancholy, lo 
which is emulation ; nor the musician's, which is fan- 
tastical ; nor the courtier's, which is proud ; nor the 
soldier's, which is ambitious ; nor the lawyer's, which 
is politic ; nor the lady's, which is nice ; nor the lover's, 
which is all these ; but it is a melancholy of mine own, 
compounded of many simples, extracted from many ob- 
jects, and indeed the sundry contemplation of my trav- 
els, in which my often rumination wraps me in a most 
humorous sadness. 

Rosalind. A traveller ! By my faith, you have great 20 
reason to be sad. I fear you have sold your own lands 
to see other men's ; then, to have seen much and to 
have nothing is to have rich eyes and poor hands. 

Jaques. Yes, I have gained my experience. 

Rosalind. And your experience makes you sad ! I 
had rather have a fool to make me merry than experi- 
ence to make me sad ; and to travel for it too ! 

Enter Orlando 

Orlando. Good day and happiness, dear Rosalind ! 

Jaques. Nay, then God be wi' you, an you talk in 

blank verse. \_Exit. 30 

Rosalind. Farewell, Monsieur Traveller. Look you 



Scene I] As You Like It 103 

lisp and wear strange suits, disable all the benefits of 
your own country, be out of love with your nativity, 
and almost chide God for making you that countenance 
you are, or I will scarce think you have swam in a 
gondola. — Why, how now, Orlando ! where have you 
been all this while ? You a lover ! An you serve me 
such another trick, never come in my sight more. 

Orlando. My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour 
of my promise. 40 

Rosalind. Break an hour's promise in love ! He 
that will divide a minute into a thousand parts, and 
break but a part of the thousandth part of a minute 
in the affairs of love, it may be said of him that Cupid 
hath clapped him o' the shoulder, but I '11 warrant him 
heart-whole. 

Orlando. Pardon me, dear Rosalind. 

Rosalind. Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more 
in my sight \ I had as lief be wooed of a snail. 

Orlando. Of a snail? 50 

Rosalind. Ay, of a snail; for though he comes 
slowly, he carries his house on his head, — a better 
jointure, I think, than you can make a woman ; besides, 
he brings his destiny with him. 

Orlando. What 's that ? 

Rosalind. Why, horns, which such as you are fain 
to be beholding to your wives for ; but he comes armed 
in his fortune and prevents the slander of his wife. 

Orlando. Virtue is no horn-maker, and my Rosalind 
is virtuous. 60 



I04 As You Like It [Act iv 

Rosalind. And I am your Rosalind. 

Celia. It pleases him to call you so, but he hath a 
Rosalind of a better leer than you. 

Rosalind. Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in 
a holiday humour and like enough to consent. What 
would you say to me now, an I were your very very 
Rosalind ? 

Orlando. I would kiss before I spoke. 

Rosalind. Nay, you were better speak first, and 
when you were gravelled for lack of matter you might 70 
take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they 
are out, they will spit; and for lovers lacking — God 
warn us ! — matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss. 

Orlando. How if the kiss be denied ? 

Rosalind. Then she puts you to entreaty, and there 
begins new matter. 

Orlando. Who could be out^ being before his 
beloved mistress? 

Rosalind. Marry, that should you, if I were your 
mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than 80 
my wit. 

Orlando. What, of my suit? 

Rosalind. Not out of your apparel, and yet out of 
your suit. Am not I your Rosalind? 

Orlando. I take some joy to say you are, because I 
would be talking of her. 

Rosalind. Well, in her person I say I will not have 
you. 

Orlando. Then in mine own person I die. 



Scene I] As You Like It 105 

Rosalind. No, faith, die by attorney. The poor 90 
world is ahnost six thousand years old, and in all this 
time there was not any man died in his own person, 
videlicet, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brains 
dashed out with a Grecian club ; yet he did what he 
could to die before, and he is one of the patterns of 
love. Leander, he would have lived many a fair year, 
though Hero had turned nun, if it had not been for a 
hot midsummer night ; for, good youth, he went but 
forth to wash hita in the Hellespont, and being taken 
with the cramp was drowned, and the foolish chroni- 100 
clers of that age found it was — Hero of Sestos. But 
these are all lies ; men have died from time to time 
and worms have eaten them, but not for love. 

Orlando. I would not have my right Rosalind of 
this mind, for, I protest, her frown might kill me. 

Rosalind. By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But 
come, now I will be your Rosahnd in a more coming- 
on disposition, and ask me what you will, I will grant 
it. 

Orlando. Then love me, Rosalind. no 

Rosalind. Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays 
and all. 

Orlando. And wilt thou have me ? 

Rosalind. Ay, and twenty such. 

Orlando. What sayest thou? 

Rosalind. Are you not good? 

Orlando. I hope so. 

Rosalind. Why then, can one desire too much of a 



io6 As You Like It [Act iv 

good thing? — Come, sister, you shall be the priest and 
marry us. — Give me your hand, Orlando. — What 120 
do you say, sister? 

Orlando. Pray thee, marry us. 

Celia. I cannot say the words. 

Rosalind. You must begin, ' Will you, Orlando — ' 

Celia. Go to. — Will you, Orlando, have to wife 
this Rosalind? 

Orlando. I will. 

Rosalind. Ay, but when? 

Orlando. Why now ; as fast as she can marry us. 

Rosalind. Then you must say, ^ I take thee, Rosa- 130 
lind, for wife.' 

Orlando. I take thee, Rosalind, for wife. 

Rosalind. I might ask you for your commission, 
but I do take thee, Orlando, for my husband. There 's 
a girl goes before the priest, and certainly a woman's 
thought runs before her actions. 

Orlando. So do all thoughts ; they are winged. 

Rosalind. Now tell me how long you would have 
her after you have possessed her. 

Orlando. For ever and a day. 140 

Rosalind. Say a day, without the ever. No, no, 
Orlando : men are April when they woo, December 
when they wed ;( maids are May when they are maids, 
but the sky changes when they are wives. I will be 
more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over 
his hen, more clamorous than a parrot against rain, 
more new-fangled than an ape, more giddy in my 



Scene I] As You Like It 107 

desires than a monkey. I will weep for nothing, 
like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when 
you are disposed to be merry; I will laugh like a 150 
hyen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep. 

Orlando. But will my Rosalind do so ? 

Rosalind. By my life, she will do as I do. 

Orlando. Q. but she is wise. 

Rosalind. Or else she could not have the wit to do 
this ; the wiser, the waywarder/' Make the doors upon 
a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement ; shut 
that, and 't will out at the key-hole ; stop that, 't will 
fly with the smoke out at the chimney. 

Orlando. A man that had a wife with such a wit, 160 
he might say, * Wit, whither wilt ? * 

Rosalind. Nay, you might keep that check for it 
till you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's 
bed. 

Orlando. And what wit could wit have to excuse 
that? 

Rosalind. Marry, to say she came to seek you 
there. You shall never take her without her answer, 
unless you take her without her tongue. O, that 
woman that cannot make her fault her husband's 170 
occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for 
she will breed it like a fool ! 

Orlando. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will 
leave thee. 

Rosalind. Alas ! dear love, I cannot lack thee two 
hours. 



io8 As You Like It [Act iv 

Orlando. I must attend the duke at dinner ; by 
two o'clock I will be with thee again. 

Rosalind. Ay, go your ways, go your ways, I knew 
what you would prove ; my friends told me as much, i8o 
and I thought no less. That flattering tongue of yours 
won me ; 't is but one cast away, and so, come, death ! 
— Two o'clock is your hour ? 

Orlando. Ay, sweet Rosalind. 

Rosalind. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so 
God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dan- 
gerous, if you break one jot of your promise or come 
one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most 
pathetical break-promise, and the most hollow lover, 
and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that 190 
may be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful ; 
therefore beware my censure and keep your promise. 

Of^lando. With no less rehgion than if thou wert in- 
deed my Rosalind ; so adieu. 

Rosalind. Well, Time is the old justice that examines 
all such offenders, and let Time try ; adieu. 

\_Exit Orlando. 

Celia. You have simply misused our sex in your love- 
prate j we must have your doublet and hose plucked 
over your head, and show the world what the bird hath 
done to her own nest. 200 

Rosalind. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that 
thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love ! 
But it cannot be sounded ; my affection hath an un- 
known bottom, like the bay of Portugal. 



Scene II] As You Like It 109 

Celia, Or rather, bottomless, that as fast as you pour 
affection in, it runs out. 

Rosalind. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus 
that was begot of thought, conceived of spleen, and born 
of madness, that blind rascally boy that abuses every 
one's eyes because his own are out, let him be judge 2jo 
how deep I am in love. I '11 tell thee, AHena, I cannot 
be out of the sight of Orlando ; I '11 go find a shadow, 
and sigh till he come. 

Celia. And I '11 sleep. \_Exeunt. 

Scene II. The Forest 
Enter Jaques, Lords, and Foresters 

Jaques. Which is he that killed the deer ? 

A Lord. Sir, it was I. 

Jaques. Let 's present him to the duke, like a Roman 
conqueror, and it would do well to set the deer's horns 
upon his head, for a branch of victory. Have you no 
song, forester, for this purpose? 

Forester. Yes, sir. 

Jaques. Sing it ; 't is no matter how it be in tune, 
so it make noise enough. 

SONG 

Forester. What shall he have that kilV d the deer ? 10 
His leather skin and horns to wear. 
Then sing him home. 

[The rest shall bear this burthen. 



\ 



no As You Like It [Act iv 

Take thou no scorn to wear the horn ; 
It was a C7'est ere thou wast born ; 
Thy father'' s father wore it f 
And thy father bore it. 
The horn, the horn, the lusty horn 
Is not a thing to laugh to scorn. [Exeunt. 

Scene III. The Forest 
Enter Rosalind and Celia 

Rosalind. How say you now? Is it not past two 
o'clock? and here much Orlando ! 

Celia. I warrant you, with pure love and troubled 
brain he hath ta'en his bow and arrows and is gone 
forth — to sleep. Look, who comes here. 

Enter Silvius 
Silvius. My errand is to you, fair youth ; 

My gentle Phebe bid me give you this. 

I know not the contents ; but, as I guess 

By the stern brow and waspish action 

Which she did use as she was writing of it, lo 

It bears an angry tenour. Pardon me, 

I am but as a guiltless messenger. 

Rosalind. Patience herself would startle at this letter 

And play the swaggerer ; bear this, bear all. 

She says I am not fair, that I lack manners ; 

She calls me proud, and that she could not love me, 

Were man as rare as phoenix. 'Od's my will ! 

Her love is not the hare that I do hunt ; 



Scene III] As You Like It ill 

Why writes she so to me? — Well, shepherd, well, 

This is a letter of your own device. 20 

Silvius. No, I protest, I know not the contents ; 
Phebe did write it. 

Rosalind. Come, come, you are a fool, 

And turn'd into the extremity of love. 
I saw her hand ; she has a leathern hand, 
A freestone- colour'd hand. I verily did think 
That her old gloves were on, but 't was her hands. 
She has a huswife's hand ; but that 's no matter. 
I say she never did invent this letter ; 
This is a man's invention and his hand. 

Silvius. Sure, it is hers. 30 

Rosalind. Why, 't is a boisterous and a cruel style, 
A style for challengers ; why, she defies me. 
Like Turk to Christian. Woman's gentle brain 
Could not drop forth such giant-rude invention, 
Such Ethiope words, blacker in their effect 
Than in their countenance. Will you hear the letter? 

Silvius. So please you, for I never heard it yet, 
Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty. 

Rosalind. She Phebes me ; mark how the tyrant writes. 

[Reads] Art thou god to shepherd ticrn^d, 40 

That a maiden^ s heart hath burn'd? — 
Can a woman rail thus ? 

Silvius. Call you this railing? 

Rosalind. [Reads] 

Why, thy godhead laid apart, 

Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? — 



112 As You Like It [Act iv 

Did you ever hear such railing? — 

Whiles the eye of man did woo me, 
That could do no vengeance to me. — 
Meaning me a beast. — 

If the scorn of your bright eyne 50 

Have power to raise such love in mine, 
Alack, in me what strange effect 
Would they work in mild aspect/ 
Whiles you chid me, I did love ; 
How then might your prayers ??iove ! 
He that b7'ings this love to thee 
Little knows this love in me ; 
And by him seal up thy mind : 
Whether that thy youth and kind 
Will the faithful offer take 60 

Of me and all that I can 7nake, 
Or else by him my love deny. 
And then I 7/ study how to die. 
Silvius. Call you this chiding? 
Celia. Alas, poor shepherd ! 

Rosalind. Do you pity him? no, he deserves no 
pity. — Wilt thou love such a woman ? What, to make 
thee an instrument and play false strains upon thee ! 
not to be endured ! Well, go your way to her, for I 
see love hath made thee a tame snake, and say this to 70 
her : that if she love me, I charge her to love thee ; if 
she will not, I will never have her unless thou entreat 
for her. If you be a true lover, hence, and not a 
word ; for here comes more company. \_Exit Silvius. 



Scene III] As You Like It 113 

Enter Oliver 

Oliver. Good morrow, fair ones ; pray you, if you know 
Where in the purHeus of this forest stands 
A sheepcote fenc'd about with ohve trees? 

Celia, West of this place down in the neighbour 
bottom ; 
The rank of osiers by the murmuring stream 
Left on your right hand brings you to the place. 80 

But at this hour the house doth keep itself; 
There 's none within. 

Oliver. If that an eye may profit by a tongue, 
Then should I know you by description ; 
Such garments and such years : ' The boy is fair. 
Of female favour, and bestows himself 
Like a ripe sister ; the woman low 
And browner than her brother.' Are not you 
The owners of the house I did enquire for ? 

Celia. It is no boast, being ask'd, to say we are. 90 

Oliver. Orlando doth commend him to you both, 
And to that youth he calls his Rosalind 
He sends this bloody napkin. — Are you he? 

Rosalind. I am ; what must we understand by this ? 

Oliver. Some of my shame ; if you will know of me 
What man I am, and how, and why, and where 
This handkercher was stain'd. 

Celia. I pray you, tell it. 

Oliver. When last the young Orlando parted from you, 
He left a promise to return again 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 8 



114 ^s You Like It [Act IV 

Within an hour, and pacing through the forest, loo f 

Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy, 

Lo, what befell ! He threw his eye aside. 

And mark what object did present itself! 

Under an oak, whose boughs were moss'd with age 

And high top bald with dry antiquity, 

A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair. 

Lay sleeping on his back ; about his neck 

A green and gilded snake had wreath'd itself. 

Who with her head nimble in threats approach'd 

The opening of his mouth. But suddenly, no 

Seeing Orlando, it unlink'd itself. 

And with indented glides did slip away 

Into a bush, under which bush's shade 

A lioness, with udders all drawn dry. 

Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch. 

When that the sleeping man should stir ; for 't is 

The royal disposition of that beast 

To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead. 

This seen, Orlando did approach the man. 

And found it was his brother, his elder brother. 120 

Celia. O, I have heard him speak of that same brother ; 
And he did render him the most unnatural 
That liv'd amongst men. 

' Oliver, And well he might so do. 

For well I know he was unnatural. 

Rosalind. But, to Orlando ; did he leave him there, 
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness ? 

Oliver. Twice did he turn his back and purpos'd so ; 



ene III] As You Like It 115 

it kindness, nobler ever than revenge, 
vnd nature, stronger than his just occasion, 
Made him give battle to the lioness, 130 

^ho quickly fell before him, in which hurtling 
rom miserable slumber I awak'd. 
Celia. Are you his brother? 

Rosalind. Was 't you he rescued? 

Celia. Was 't you that did so oft contrive to kill him ? 
Oliver, 'T was I, but 't is not I ; I do not shame 
To tell you what I was, since my conversion 
,, So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am. 
' Rosalind. But, for the bloody napkin? 

Oliver. By and by. 

When from the first to last betwixt us two 
Tears our recountments had most kindly bath'd, 140 

As how I came into that desert place, — 
In brief, he led me to the gentle duke, 
Who gave me fresh array and entertainment, 
Committing me unto my brother's love, 
Who led me instantly unto his cave, 
There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm 
i The lioness had torn Some flesh away, 
\ Which all this while had bled ; and now he fainted, 
l'\nd cried, in fainting, upon Rosalind. 
/Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound ; 150 

J\ And, after some small space, being strong at heart, 
'^e sent me hither, stranger as I am, 
"o tell this story, that you might excuse 
lis broken promise, and to give this napkin 



ii6 As You Like It [Act iv 

Dyed in his blood unto the shepherd youth 

That he in sport doth call his Rosalind. [^Rosalind swoons. 

Celia. Why, how now, Ganymede ! sweet Ganymede ! 

Oliver. Many will swoon when they do look on blood. 

Celia. There is more in it. — Cousin Ganymede ! 

Oliver. Look, he recovers. i6o 

Rosalind. I would I were at home. 

Celia. We '11 lead you thither. — 

I pray you, will you take him by the arm? 

Oliver. Be of good cheer, youth; you a man ! you 
lack a man's heart. 

Rosalind. I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body 
would think this was well counterfeited ! I pray you, 
tell your brother how well I counterfeited. — Heigh-ho ! 

Oliver. This was not counterfeit ; there is too great 
testimony in your complexion that it was a passion of 
earnest. 170 

Rosalind. Counterfeit, I assure you. 

Oliver. Well then, take a good heart and counter- 
feit to be a man. 

Rosalind. So I do j but, i' faith, I should have been 
a woman by right. 

Celia. Come, you look paler and paler ; pray you, 
draw homewards. — Good sir, go with us. 

Oliver. That will I, for I must bear answer back 
How you excuse my brother, Rosalind. 

Rosalind. I shall devise something ; but, I pray 180 
you, commend my counterfeiting to him. — Will you 
go? \_Exeunt. 



v^, ^ 






S '■'■J <,-f \ <>A.^ _ "l<; > 




" Here comes a fair of very strange beasts " 



ACT V 



Scene I. The Forest 



Enter Touchstone and Audrey 

Touchstone. We shall find a time, Audrey ; pa- 
tience, gentle Audrey. 

Audrey. Faith, the priest was good enough, for all 
the old gentleman's saying. 

Touchstone. A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a 
most vile Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here 
in the forest lays claim to you. 

117 



ii8 As You Like It [Act v 

Audrey. Ay, I know who 't is : he hath no interest 
in me in the world. Here comes the man you mean. 

Touchstone. It is meat and drink to me to see a lo 
clown. By my troth, we that have good wits have 
much to answer for ; we shall be flouting, we cannot 
hold. 

Enter William 

William. Good even, Audrey. 

Audrey. God ye good even, William. 

William. And good even to you, sir. 

Touchstone. Good even, gentle friend. Cover thy 
head, cover thy head ; nay, prithee, be covered. 
How old are you, friend? 

William. Five and twenty, sir. 20 

Touchstone. A ripe age. Is thy name William ? 

William. William, sir. 

Touchstone. A fair name. Wast born i' the forest 
here? 

William. Ay, sir, I thank God. 

Touchstone. Thank God ! — a good answer. Art 
rich? 

William. Faith, sir, so-so. 

Touchstone. So-so is good, very good, very excel- 
lent good ; and yet it is not, it is but so-so. Art thou 30 
wise ? 

William. Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit. 

Touchstone. Why, thou sayest well. I do now re- 
member a saying, * The fool doth think he is wise, but 



Scene I] As You Like It 119 

the wise man knows himself to be a fool.' The 
heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a : 
grape, would open his lips when he put it into his 1/ 
mouth; meaning thereby that grapes were made to 
eat and lips to open. You do love this maid ? 

William. I do, sir. 40 

Touchstone. Give me your hand. Art thou learned ? 

William. No, sir. 

Touchstone. Then learn this of me : to have, is to 
have, for it is a figure in rhetoric that drink, being 
poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling the one 
doth empty the other ; for all your writers do consent 
that ipse is he. Now, you are not ipse, for I am he. 

William. Which he, sir? ' 

Touchstone. He, sir, that must marry this woman. \J 
Therefore, you clown, abandon, — which is in the vul- 50 
gar leave, — the society, — which in the boorish is 
company, — of this female, — which in the common is 
woman ; which together is, abandon the society of 
this female, or, clown, thou perishest ; or, to thy bet- 
ter understanding, diest ; or, to wit, I kill thee, make 
thee away, translate thy life into death, thy liberty 
into bondage. I will deal in poison with thee, or in 
bastinado, or in steel ; I will bandy with thee in fac- 
tion, I will o'errun thee with policy, I will kill thee 
a hundred and fifty ways; therefore tremble, and 60 
depart. 

Audrey. Do, good William. 

William. God rest you merry, sir. \_Exit. 



I20 As You Like It [Act v 

Enter Corin 

Corin. Our master and mistress seeks you ; come, 
away, away ! 

Touchstone. Trip, Audrey ! trip, Audrey ! — I at- 
tend, I attend. \_Exeunt. 

Scene II. The Forest 
Enter Orlando and Oliver 

Orlando. Is 't possible that on so little acquaint- 
ance you should like her? that but seeing you should 
love her? and loving woo? and, wooing, she should 
grant? and will you persever to enjoy her? 

Oliver. Neither call the giddiness of it in question, 
the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sudden 
wooing, nor her sudden consenting ; but say with me, I 
love Aliena ; say with her that she loves me ; consent 
with both that we may enjoy each other. It shall be 
to your good ; for ray father's house and all the rev- lo 
enue that was old Sir Rowland's will I estate upon 
you, and here live and die a shepherd. 

Orlando. You have my consent. Let your wed- 
ding be to-morrow ; thither will I invite the duke and 
all 's contented followers. Go and prepare Aliena; 
for look you, here comes my Rosalind. 

Enter Rosalind 

Rosalind. God save you, brother. 

Oliver. And you, fair sister. \_Exit. 



Scene II] As You Like It 121 

Rosalind. O, my dear Orlando, how it grieves me 
to see thee wear thy heart in a scarf ! 20 

Oidando. It is my arm. 

Rosalind. I thought thy heart had been wounded 
with the claws of a lion. 

07'lando. Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady. 

Rosalind. Did your brother tell you how I counter- 
feited to swoon when he showed me your handkercher? 

Orlando. Ay, and greater wonders than that. 

Rosalind. O, I know where you are. Nay, 't is 
true ; there was never any thing so sudden but the 
fight of two rams and Caesar's thrasonical brag of ' I 30 
came, saw, and overcame.' For your brother and my 
sister no sooner met but they looked, no sooner 
looked but they loved, no sooner loved but they 
sighed, no sooner sighed than they asked one another 
the reason, no sooner knew the reason but they sought 
the remedy ; and in these degrees have they made a 
pair of stairs to marriage which they will climb incon- 
tinent. They are in the very wrath of love, and they 
will together ; clubs cannot part them. 

07da7ido. They shall be married to-morrow, and 1 40 
will bid the duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bitter a 
thing it is to look into happiness through another 
man's eyes ! By so much the more shall I to-morrow 
be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall 
think my brother happy in having what he wishes for. 

Rosalind. Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve 
your turn for Rosalind? 



122 As You Like It [Act v 

Orlando, I can live no longer by thinking. 

Rosalind. I will weary you then no longer with idle 
talking. Know of me then, for now I speak to some 50 
purpose, that I know you are a gentleman of good 
conceit. I speak not this that you should bear a good 
opinion of my knowledge, insomuch I say I know you 
are ; neither do I labour for a greater esteem than 
may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to 
do yourself good and not to grace me. Believe then, 
if you please, that I can do strange things ; I have, 
since I was three year old, conversed with a magician, 
most profound in his art and yet not damnable. If 
you do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture 60 
cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall 
you marry her. I know into what straits of fortune 
she is driven ; and it is not impossible to me, if it ap- 
pear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your 
eyes to-morrow, human as she is, and without any 
danger. 

Orlando. Speakest thou in sober meanings ? 

Rosalind. By my life, I do, which I tender dearly, 
though I say I am a magician. Therefore, put you in 
your best array, bid your friends ; for if you will be 70 
married to-morrow, you shall, and to Rosahnd, if you 

will. 

Enter Silvius and Phebe 

Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers. 
Phebe. Youth, you have done me much ungentleness, 
To show the letter that I writ to you. 



Scene II] As You Like It 123 

Rosalind. I care not if I have ; it is my study 
To seem despiteful and ungentle to you. 
You are there follow'd by a faithful shepherd ; 
Look upon him, love him ; he worships you. 79 

Phebe. Good shepherd, tell this youth what 't is to love. 

Silvius. It is to be all made of sighs and tears ; 
And so am I for Phebe. 

Phebe. And I for Ganymede. 

Orlando. And I for Rosahnd. 

Rosalind. And I for no woman. 

Silvius. It is to be all made of faith and service ; 
And so am I for Phebe. 

Phebe. And I for Ganymede. 

Orlando. And I for Rosahnd. 

Rosalind. And I for no woman. 90 

Silvius. It is to be all made of fantasy. 
All made of passion, and all made of wishes, 
All adoration, duty, and observance. 
All humbleness, all patience, and impatience, 
All purity, all trial, all obedience ; 
And so am I for Phebe. 

Phebe. And so am I for Ganymede. 

Orlando. And so am I for Rosahnd. 

Rosalind. And so am I for no woman. 

Phebe. If this be so, why blame you me to love you ? 100 

Silvius. If this be so, why blame you me to love 
you? 

Orlando. If this be so, why blame you me to love 
you? 



124 As You Like It [Act v 

Rosalind. Why do you speak too, ' Why blame you 
me to love you ? ' 

Orlando. To her that is not here, nor doth not hear. 

Rosalind. Pray you, no more of this ; 't is like the 
howling of Irish wolves against the moon. — \To Sil- 
vitis'] I will help you, if I can. — \_To Phebe\ I would no 
love you, if I could. To-morrow meet me all together. 
— \To Phebe\ I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, 
and I '11 be married to-morrow. — \To Orla7ido'\ I will 
satisfy you, if ever I satisfied man, and you shall be 
married to-morrow. — \_To Silvius'] I will content you, 
if what pleases you contents you, and you shall be 
married to-morrow. — \_To Orla?ido~\ As you love 
Rosahnd, meet; — \_To Silviics~\ as you love Phebe, 
meet ; — and as I love no woman, I '11 meet. So fare 
you well ; I have left you commands. 120 

Silvius. I '11 not fail, if I live. 

Fhede. Nor I. 

Orlando. Nor I. \_Exeunt 

Scene III. The Forest 
Enter Touchstone and Audrey 

Touchstone. To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey ; 
to-morrow will we be married. 

Audrey. I do desire it with all my heart j and I 
hope it is no dishonest desire to desire to be a woman 
of the world. Here come two of the banished duke's 
pages. 



Scene III] As You Like It 125 

Enter two Pages 

1: 

First Page. Well met, honest gentlemen. ^ 

Touchstone. By my troth, well met. Come, sit, sit, 

and a song. 

Second Page. We are for you ; sit i' the middle. 10 
First Page. Shall we clap into 't roundly, without 

hawking or spitting or saying we are hoarse, which are 

the only prologues to a bad voice ? 

Second Page. 1 I' faith, i' faith ; and both in a tune, 

like two gypsies on a horse. .^ 

SONG 

// was a lover and his lass, 

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino. 
That o''er the green corn-field did pass 

In spring tifne, the only pretty ring time, 
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; 20 

Sweet lovers love the spring. 

Between the acres of the rye, 

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, 
These pretty country folks would lie, 

In spiHng time, etc. 

This carol they began that hour. 

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, 

How that a life was but a flower 
In spring time, etc. 



126 As You Like It [Act v 

And therefore take the prese?tt time, 30 

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino ; 
For love is crowned with the prime 
In spjHng time, etc. 

Touchstone. Truly, young gentlemen, though there 
was no great matter in the ditty, yet the note was very 
untuneable. 

First Page. You are deceived, sir; we kept time, 
we lost not our time. 

Totuhstone. By my troth, yes ; I count it but time 
lost to hear such a foolish song. God be wi' you, and 40 
God mend your voices ! — Come, Audrey. \_Exeunt. 



Scene IV. The Forest 

Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, Jaques, Orlando, 
Oliver, and Celia 

Duke Senior. Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the 
boy 
Can do all this that he hath promised? 

Orlando. I sometimes do believe, and sometimes 
do not ; 
As those that fear they hope, and know they fear. 

Enter Rosalind, Silvius, and Phebe 

Rosalind. Patience once more, whiles our compact 
is urg'd. — 



Scene IV] As You Like It 127 

You say, if I bring in your Rosalind, 
You will bestow her on Orlando here ? 

Duke Senior. That would I, had I kingdoms to give 

with her. 
Rosalind. And you say you will have her when I 

bring her? 
Orlando. That would I, were I of all kingdoms king. 10 
Rosalind. You say you '11 marry me, if I be willing ? 
Phebe. That will I, should I die the hour after. 
Rosalind. But if you do refuse to marry me, 
You '11 give yourself to this most faithful shepherd ? 
Phebe. So is the bargain. 

Rosalind. You say that yo«^*ll have Phebe, if she will ? 
Silvius. Though to have hdr and death were both one 

thing. 
Rosalind. I have promis'd to make all this matter 
even. 
Keep you your word, O duke, to give your daughter ; — 
You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter — 20 

Keep your word, Phebe, that you '11 marry me, 
Or else refusing me, to wed this shepherd. — 
Keep your word, Silvius, that you '11 marry her, 
If she refuse me ; — and from hence I go, 
To make these doubts all even. 

\_Exeunt Rosalind and Celia. 
Duke Senior. I do remember in this shepherd boy 
Some lively touches of my daughter's favour. 

Orlando. My lord, the first time that I ever saw him 
Methought he was a brother to your daughter ; 



128 As You Like It [Act v 

But, my good lord, this boy is forest-born, 30 

And hath been tutor'd in the rudiments 
Of many desperate studies by his uncle, 
Whom he reports to be a great magician, 
Obscured in the circle of this forest. 

Enter Touchstone and Audrey 

Jaqiies. There is, sure, another flood toward, and 
these couples are coming to the ark ! Here comes a 
pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are 
called fools. 

Touchstone. Salutation and greeting to you all ! 

Jaques. Good my lord, bid him welcome. This is 40 
the motley-minded gentleman that I have so often met 
in the forest ; he hath been a courtier, he swears. 

Toicchstone. If any man doubt that, let him put 
me to my purgation. I have trod a measure ; I have 
flattered a lady ; I have been politic with my friend, 
smooth with mine enemy ; I have undone three tailors ; 
I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one. 

Jaques. And how was that ta'en up ? 

Touchstone. Faith, we met, and found the quarrel 
was upon the seventh cause. 50 

Jaques, How seventh cause? — Good my lord, like 
this fellow. 

Duke Senior. I like him very well. 

Touchstone. God 'ield you, sir ! I desire you of the 
like. I press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the 
country copulatives, to swear and forswear, according 



Scene IV] As You Like It 129 

as marriage binds and blood breaks. A poor virgin, 
sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own ^ a poor 
humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else will. 
Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a poor house, 60 
as your pearl in your foul oyster. 

Duke Senior. By my faith, he is very swift and 
sententious. 

Touchstone. According to the fool's bolt, sir, and 
such dulcet diseases. 

Jaqices. But, for the seventh cause ; how did you 
find the quarrel on the seventh cause? 

Touchstone. Upon a lie seven times removed— - 
bear your body more seeming, Audrey — as thus, sir., 
I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard. He 70 
sent me word, if I said his beard was not cut well, he 
was in the mind it was ; this is called the Retort 
Courteous. If I sent him word again it was not well 
cut, he would send me word he cut it to please him- 
self; this is called the Quip Modest. If again, it was 
not well cut, he disabled my judgment ; this is called 
the Reply Churlish. If again, it was not well cut, he 
would answer, I spake not true ; this is called the 
Reproof Valiant. If again, it was not well cut, he 
would say I lied ; this is called the Countercheck 80 
Quarrelsome : and so to the Lie Circumstantial and 
the Lie Direct. 

Jaques. And how oft did you say his beard was not 
well cut? 

Touchstone. I durst go no further than the Lie Cir- 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 9 



130 As You Like It [Act v 

cumstantial, nor he durst not give me the Lie Direct ; 
and so we measured swords and parted. 

Jaques. Can you nominate in order now the degrees 
of the lie ? 

Touchstone. O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book, 90 
as you have books for good manners. I will name you 
the degrees : the first, the Retort Courteous ; the sec- 
ond, the Quip Modest ; the third, the Reply Churhsh ; 
the fourth, the Reproof Valiant -, the fifth, the Coun- 
tercheck Quarrelsome ; the sixth, the Lie with Circum- 
stance ; the seventh, the Lie Direct. All these you 
may avoid but the Lie Direct ; and you may avoid that 
too, with an ' If I knew when seven justices could 
not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met 
themselves, one of them thought but of an 'If,' as, 'If 100 
you said so, then I s^id so ; ' and they shook hands 
and swore brothers. ( Your /If is the only peace- 
maker ; much virtue in ' If.' 

Jaques. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord ? he 's as 
good at any thing, and yet a fool. 

Duke Senior. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, 
and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit. 

Enter Hymen, leading Rosalind in her proper habit, and 
Celia. Still Music 

Hymen. Then is there mirth in heaven, 
When earthly things made even 

Atone together. no 



Scene IV] As You Like It 131 

Good duke, receive thy daughter ; 
Hymen from heaven brought her, 

Yea, brought her hither. 
That thou mightst join her hand with his 
Whose heart within her bosom is. 
Rosalind. \To Duke'] To you I give myself, for I am 
yours. — 
\_To Orlando'] To you I give myself, for I am yours. 
Duke Senior. If there be truth in sight, you are my 

daughter. 
Orlando. If there be truth in sight, you are my 

Rosalind. 
Phebe. If sight and shape be true, 120 

Why then, my love adieu ! 

Rosalind. I '11 have no father, if you be not he ; — 
I '11 have no husband, if you be not he ; — 
Nor ne'er wed woman, if you be not she. 
Hymen. Peace, ho ! I bar confusion. 
'T is I must make conclusion 

Of these most strange events ; 
Here 's eight that must take hands 
To join in Hymen's bands. 

If truth holds true contents. 130 

You and you no cross shall part ; — 
You and you are heart in heart ; — 
You to his love must accord. 
Or have a woman to your lord j — 
You and you are sure together. 
As the winter to foul weather. — 



132 As You Like It [Act v 

Whiles a wedlock-hymn we sing, 

Feed yourselves with questioning, 

That reason wonder may diminish, 

How thus we met, and these things finish. 140 

SONG 

Wedding is great Juno'' s crown ; 

O blessed bond of board and bed f 
^T is Hymen peoples every town ; 

High wedlock then be honoured I 
Honour, high honour and renown, 

To Hymen, god of every town ! 

Duke Senior. O my dear niece, welcome thou art to 
me ! 
Even daughter, welcome, in no less degree. 

Phebe. I will not eat my word, now thou art mine ; 
Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine. 150 

Enter Jaques de Boys 

Jaques de Boys. Let me have audience for a word 
or two. 
I am the second son of old Sir Rowland, 
That bring these tidings to this fair assembly : 
Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day 
Men of great worth resorted to this forest, 
Address'd a mighty power, which were on foot. 
In his own conduct, purposely to take 
His brother here and put him to the sword. 



Scene IV] As You Like It 133 

And to the skirts of this wild wood he came, 

Where meeting with an old religious man, 160 

After some question with him, was converted 

Both from his enterprise and from the world ; 

His crown bequeathing to his banish 'd brother. 

And all their lands restor'd to them again 

That were with him exil'd. This to be true, 

I do engage my life. 

Duke Senior. Welcome, young man; 

Thou offer'st fairly to thy brothers' wedding : 
To one his lands withheld, and to the other 
A land itself at large, a potent dukedom. — 
First, in this forest let us do those ends 170 

That here were well begun and well begot ; 
And after, every of this happy number 
That have endur'd shrewd days and nights with us 
Shall share the good of our returned fortune. 
According to the measure of their states. 
Meantime, forget this new-fallen dignity. 
And fall into our rustic revelry. — 
Play, music ! — And you, brides and bridegrooms all. 
With measure heap'd in joy, to the measures fall. 

Jaques. Sir, by your patience. If I heard you rightly, 180 
The duke hath put on a rehgious life. 
And thrown into neglect the pompous court? 

Jaques de Boys. He hath. 

Jaques. To him will I ; out of these convertites 
There is much matter to be heard and learn' d. — 
\_To Duke'\ You to your former honour I bequeath; 



134 As You Like It [Act v 

Your patience and your virtue well deserves it — 

[To Or/ando'] You to a love that your true faith doth 

merit. — 
'[To Oliver] You to your land and love and great allies. — 
\_To Silvius~\ You to a long and well-deserved bed. 190 
[Zb Touchstone'] And you to wrangling; for thy loving 

voyage 
Is but for two months victuall'd. — So, to your pleasures ; 
I am for other than for dancing measures. 

T)uke Senior. Stay, Jaques, stay. 

Jaques. To see no pastime I ; what you would have 
I '11 stay to know at your abandon'd cave. [Exit. 

Duke Senior. Proceed, proceed ; we will begin these 
rites, 
As we do trust they '11 end, in true delights. [A dance. 

Epilogue 

Rosalind. It is not the fashion to see the lady the 
epilogue, but it is no more unhandsome than to see 
the lord the prologue. If it be true that good wine 
needs no bush, 't is true that a good play needs no 
epilogue ; yet to good wine they do use good bushes, 
and good plays prove the better by the help of good 
epilogues. What a case am I in then, that am neither 
a good epilogue nor cannot insinuate with you in the 
behalf of a good play ! I am not furnished Hke a beg- 
gar, therefore to beg will not become me ; my way is 10 
to conjure you, and I '11 begin with the women. I 
charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men. 



Scene IV] As You Like It 135 

to like as much of this play as please you ; and I 
charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women, 
— as I perceive by your simpering, none of you hates 
them, — that between you and the women the play 
may please. If I were a woman I would kiss as many 
of you as had beards that pleased me, complexions 
that liked me, and breaths that I defied not ; and, I 
am sure, as many as have good beards or good faces 20 
or sweet breaths will, for my kind offer, when I make 
curtsy, bid me farewell. 

\_Exeunt. 



NOTES 



137 




NOTES 



Introduction 



The Metre of the Play. — It should be understood at the 
outset that metre, or the mechanism of verse, is something alto- 
gether distinct from the music of verse. The one is matter of rule, 
the other of taste and feeling. Music is not an absolute necessity 
of verse; the metrical form is a necessity, being that which consti- 
tutes the verse. 

The plays of Shakespeare (with the exception of rhymed pas- 
sages, and of occasional songs and interludes) are all in unrhymed 
or blank verse ; and the normal form of this blank verse is illus- 
trated by the first line of verse in the present play (i. 2. 225) : "I 
would thou hadst been son to some man else " ; or line 230 just 
below : " But fare thee well ; thou art a gallant youth." 

Either line, it will be seen, consists of ten syllables, with the even 
syllables (2d, 4th, 6th, 8th, and loth) accented, the odd syllables 
(ist, 3d, etc) being unaccented. Theoretically, it is made up of 

139 



140 Notes 



five feei oi two syllables each, with the accent on the second sylla- 
ble. Such a foot is called an iambus (plural, iambuses, or the 
Latin iambi), and the form of verse is called iambic. 

This fundamental law of Shakespeare's verse is subject to certain 
modifications, the most important of which are as follows : — 

1. After the tenth syllable an unaccented syllable (or even two 
such syllables) may be added, forming what is sometimes called a 
female line ; as in i. 2. 231 : "I would thou haclst told me of an- 
other father." The rhythm is complete with the first syllable of 
father, the second being an extra eleventh syllable. In line 259 : 
*' I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference," we have two 
extra syllables, the rhythm being complete with the first syllable of 
conference. 

2. The accent in any part of the verse may be shifted from an 
even to an odd syllable ; as in lines 241, 243 : — 

" Let us go thank him and encourage him ; 
****** 
Sticks me at heart. — Sir, you have well deserv'd." 

In both lines the accent is shifted from the second to the first syl- 
lable. This change occurs very rarely in the tenth syllable, and 
seldom in the fourth ; and it is not allowable in two successive ac- 
cented syllables. 

3. An extra unaccented syllable may occur in any part of the 
line ; as in lines 231 and 242. In 231 the word hadsl is superflu- 
ous (S. might have written "thou'dst"), and in 242 the second 
syllable of envious. 

4. Any unaccented syllable occurring in an even place immedi- 
ately before or after an even syllable which is properly accented, is 
reckoned as accented for the purposes of the verse ; as, for instance, 
in lines 226 and 227. In 226 the third syllable of honourable, and 
in 227 the last syllable of enemy, are metrically equivalent to ac- 
cented syllables. 

5. In many instances in Shakespeare words must be lengthened 
in order to fill out the rhythm : — 



Notes 141 

(a) Iri a large class of words in which e or i is followed by an- 
other vowel, the e or i is made a separate syllable ; as ocean, opin- 
ion, soldier, patience, partial, marriage, etc. For instance, the line 
(i. 3. 77), " Her very silence and her patience," appears to have only 
nine syllables, but patie7ice (see note on the word) is a trisyllable. 
In i. 3. 66 and 127, Celia is a trisyllable ; condition is a quadrisyl- 
lable in i. 2. 265 ; action is a trisyllable in iv. 3. 9, etc. This 
lengthening occurs most frequently at the end of the line. In ii. 7. 
41 of this play (" With observation, the which he vents") we find 
one of the rare exceptions to this statement, observation having five 
syllables. 

((5) Many monosyllables ending in r, re, rs, res, preceded by a 
long vowel or diphthong, are often made disyllables ; 2iS fare, fear, 
dear, fire, hair, hotir, your, etc. In M. of V. iii. 2. 304 : "Shall 
lose a hair through Bassanio's fault," hair is a dissyllable. If the 
word is repeated in a verse, it is often both monosyllable and dissyl- 
lable ; as in M. of V. iii. 2. 20 ; " And so, though yours, not yours. 
Prove it so," where e\ih.QX yours (preferably the first) is a dissylla- 
ble, the other being a monosyllable. Iny. C. iii. I. 172 : "As fire 
drives out fire, so pity, pity," the first yzr^ is a dissyllable. 

(f) Words containing / or r, preceded by another consonant, are 
often pronounced as if a vowel came between the consonants ; as 
in this play, ii. 2. 13 : "The parts and graces of the wrestler" 
[wrest(e)ler] ; also in T. of S. ii. i. 158 : " While she did call me 
rascal fiddler" [fidd(e)ler] ; All's Well, iii. 5. 43 •• "If you will 
tarry, holy pilgrim" [pilg(e)rim] ; C. of E. v. I. 360 : "These are 
the parents of these children " (childeren, the original form of the 
word) ; W. T. iv. 4. 76 ; "Grace and remembrance [rememb(e)- 
rance] be to you both ! " etc. 

{d) Monosyllabic exclamatiojis {ay, O, yea, nay, hail, etc.) and 
monosyllables otherwise emphasized are similarly lengthened; also 
certain longer words; as commandement in M. of V. iv. i. 451 ; 
safety (trisyllable) in Ham. i. 3. 21 ; business (trisyllable, as origi- 
nally pronounced) in/. C. iv. i. 22: "To groan and sweat under 



142 Notes 

the business " (so in several other passage^ ; and other words 
mentioned in the notes to the plays in which they occur. 

6. Words are also contracted for metrical reasons, like plurals 
and possessives ending in a sibilant, as balance, horse (for horses and 
horse's'), princess, sense, marriage (plural and possessive), image, 
etc. So sentence (see note on iii. 2. 133), many contracted super- 
latives {fraiVst in iii. 5. 12, stern' st, secret' st, near'st, kind'st, etc.), 
and other words mentioned in the notes on this and other plays. 

7. The accent of words is also varied in many instances for met- 
rical reasons. Thus we find both reveitue and revenue in the first 
scene of the M. N. D. (lines 6 and 158), dbscure and obscure, 
pursue 3.nd pursue, distinct and distinct, exile and exile (see on ii. 
I. i), cdnfine and confine (see on ii. i. 24), etc. 

These instances of variable accent must not be confounded with 
those in which words were uniformly accented differently in the 
time of Shakespeare; like aspect (see on iv. 3. 53), impdrtune^ per- 
sever (nevex persevere), perseverance, rheumatic, etc. 

8. Alexandrines, or verses of twelve syllables, with six accents, 
occur here and there in all the plays. They must not be confounded 
with female lines with two extra syllables (see on i above) or with 
other lines in which two extra unaccented syllables may occur. 

9. Incomplete verses, of one or more syllables, are scattered 
through the plays. See i. 2. 290, ii. 3. 15, ii. 7. 11, iii. 5. 138, etc. 

10. Doggerel measure is used in the very earliest comedies 
(Z. L. L. and C. of E. in particular) in the mouths of comic char- 
acters, but nowhere else in those plays, and never anywhere after 
1598 or 1599. There is none in the present play. 

IT. Rhyme occurs frequently in the early plays, but diminishes 
with comparative regularity from that period until the latest. Thus, 
in Z. Z. Z. there are about iioo rhyming verses (about one-third 
of the whole number), in the M. N. D. about 900, in Rich. II. 
and R. and J. about 500 each, while in Cor. and A. and C. there are 
only about 40 each, in the Temp, only two, and in the W. T. none 
at all, except in the chorus introducing act iv. Songs, interludes, 



Notes 143 

and other matter not in ten-syllable measure are not included in 
this enumeration. In the present play, out of some 1000 ten- 
syllable verses, about a hundred are in rhyme. Nearly two-thirds 
of the play is in prose. 

Alternate rhymes are found only in the plays written before 1599 
or 1600. In this play they occur only in iii. 2. 1-8. In M. of V. 
we find four lines, and twenty in Much Ado, but none at all in sub- 
sequent plays. 

Rkyjfied cotiplets, or " rhyme-tags," are often found at the end of 
scenes ; as in 8 out of the 22 scenes in the present play. In Ham., 
14 out of 20 scenes, and in Macb., 21 out of 28, have such "tags"; 
but in the latest plays they are not so frequent. The Temp., for 
instance, has but one, and the W. T. none. *■ 

12. In this edition of Shakespeare, the final -ed of past tenses 
and participles is printed -Vwhen the word is to be pronounced in 
the ordinary way ; as in pleas' d, line 228, and lov^d, line 236, of the 
second scene. But when the metre requires that the -ed be made a 
separate syllable, the e is retained ; as in marked, ii. i. 41, where 
the word is a dissyllable. The only variation from this rule is in 
verbs like cry, die, etc., the -ed of which is very rarely, if ever, made 
a separate syllable. 

Shakespeare's Use of Verse and Prose in the Plays. — 
This is a subject to which the critics have given very little atten- 
tion, but it is an interesting study. In the present play we find 
scenes entirely in verse or in prose, and others in which the two are 
mixed. In general, we may say that verse is used for what is dis- 
tinctly poetical, and prose for what is not poetical. The distinction, 
however, is not so clearly marked in the earlier as in the later 
plays. The second scene of the M. of V., for instance, is in prose, 
because Portia and Nerissa are talking about the suitors in a familiar 
and playful way; but in the T. G, of V., where Julia and Lucetta 
are discussing the suitors of the former in much the same fashion, 
the scene is in verse. Dowden, commenting on Jiich. II., re- 
marks : " Had Shakespeare written the play a few years later, we 



144 Notes 

may be certain that the gardener and his servants (iii. 4) would 
not have uttered stately speeches in verse, but vi^ould have spoken 
homely prose, and that humor vi^ould have mingled w^ith the 
pathos of the scene. The same remark may be made with refer- 
ence to the subsequent scene (v. 5) in which his groom visits the 
dethroned king in the Tower." Comic characters and those in low- 
life generally speak in prose in the later plays, as Dowden inti- 
mates, but in the very earliest ones doggerel verse is much used 
instead. See on 10 above. 

The change from prose to verse is well illustrated in the third 
scene of the M. of V. It begins with plain prosaic talk about a 
business matter; but when Antonio enters, it rises at once to the 
higher level of poetry. The sight of Antonio reminds Shylock of 
his hatred of the Merchant, and the passion expresses itself in verse, 
the vernacular tongue of poetry. We have a similar change in 
the first scene of /. C, where, after the quibbling " chaff " of the 
mechanics about their trades, the mention of Pompey reminds t].ie 
Tribune of their plebeian fickleness, and his scorn and indignation 
flame out in most eloquent verse. 

The reasons for the choice of prose or verse are not always so 
clear as in these instances. We are seldom puzzled to explain the 
prose, but not unfrequently we meet with verse where we might 
expect prose. As Professor Corson remarks (^Introduction to Shake- 
speare, 1889), " Shakespeare adopted verse as the general tenor of 
his language, and therefore expressed much in verse that is within 
the capabilities of prose ; in other words, his verse constantly 
encroaches upon the domain of prose, but his prose can never be 
said to encroach upon the domain of verse." If in rare instances 
we think we find exceptions to this latter statement, and prose 
actually seems to usurp the place of verse, I believe that careful 
study of the passage will prove the supposed exception to be appar- 
ent rather than real. 

Some Books for Teachers and Students. — A few out of 
the many books that might be commended to the teacher and the 



Notes 145 

critical student are the following: Halliwell-Phillipps's Outlines 
of the Life of Shakespeare (7th ed. 1887); Sidney Lee's Life of 
Shakespeare (1898; for ordinary students the abridged ed. of 1899 
is preferable); Schmidt's Shakespeare Lexicon (3d ed. 1902); 
Littledale's ed. of Dyce's Glossary (1902) ; Bartlett's Concordance 
to Shakespeare (1895); Abbott's Shakespearian Grammar (1873); 
Furness's "New Variorum" edition of As You Like It (1890, en- 
cyclopaedic and exhaustive); Dowden's Shakspere : His Mind and 
Art (American ed. 1881); Hudson's Life, Art, and Characters of 
Shakespeare (revised ed. 1882); Mrs. Jameson's Characteristics of 
Wovien (several eds., some with the title, Shakespeare Heroines^ ; 
Ten Brink's Five Lectures on Shakespeare (1895); Boas's Shake- 
speare arid His Predecessors (1895); Dyer's Folk-lore of Shake- 
speare (American ed. 1884); Gervinus's Shakespeare Commentaries 
(Bunnett's translation, 1875); '^ox^v^ox'Cc^^ Shakespeare's Knowl- 
edge of the Bible (3d ed. 1880); Elson's Shakespeare in Music 
(1901). 

Some of the above books will be useful to all readers who are 
interested in special subjects or in general criticism of Shakespeare. 
Among those which are better suited to the needs of ordinary 
readers and students, the following may be mentioned : Phin's 
Cyclopcedia and Glossary of Shakespeare (1902, more compact and 
cheaper than Dyce); Dowden's Shakspere Primer (1877, small 
but invaluable); Rolfe's Shakespeare the Boy (1896, treating of 
the home and school life, the games and sports, the manners, 
customs, and folk-lore of the poet's time) ; Guerber's Myths of 
Greece and Rome (for young students who may need information 
on mythological allusions not explained in the notes). 

Black's Judith Shakespeare (1884, a novel, but a careful study 
of the scene and the time) is a book that I always commend to 
young people, and their elders will also enjoy it. The Lambs' 
Tales from Shakespeare is a classic for beginners in the study of 
the dramatist ; and in Rolfe's ed. the plan of the authors is carried 
out in the Notes by copious illustrative quotations from the plays. 

AS YOU LIKE IT — lO 



146 Notes 

Mrs. Cowden-Clarke's Girlhood of Shakespeare's Heroines (several 
eds.) will particularly interest girls ; and both girls and boys will 
find Bennett's Master Skylark (1897) ^^^ Imogen Clark's Will 
Shakespeare's Little Lad {\%()^^ equally entertaining and instructive. 

H. Snowden Ward's Shakespeare' s Town and Times (1896) and 
John Leyland's Shakespeare Country (1900) are copiously illus- 
trated books (yet inexpensive) which may be particularly com- 
mended for school libraries. 

Abbreviations in the Notes. — The abbreviations of the 
names of Shakespeare's plays will be readily understood ; as 
T. N. for Twelfth Night, Cor. for Coriolanus, 3 Lien. VL. for 
The Third Part of King ILenry the Sixth, etc. P. P. refers to 
The Passionate Pilgrim; V. and A. to Venus and Adonis ; L. C. 
to Lover's Complaint ; and Sonn. to the Sonnets. 

Other abbreviations that hardly need explanation are Cf. {co7ifer, 
compare), Fol. (following), Ld. {idem, the same), and Prol. (pro- 
logue). The numbers of the lines in the references (except for the 
present play) are those of the " Globe " edition (the cheapest and 
best edition of Shakespeare in one compact volume), which is now 
generally accepted as the standard for line-numbers in works of ref- 
erence (Schmidt's Lexicon, Abbott's Grammar, etc.). 

The Story of the Play as given by Lodge. — The follow- 
ing extracts from Lodge's novel ^ include the parts chiefly used by 
Shakespeare : — 

[" Sir John of Burdeaux," on his death-bed, calls his three sons, 
Saladyne, Fernandine, and Rosader, and divides his estate among 
them. To Saladyne he gives "fourteene ploughlands," with his 
"mannor houses and richest plate"; to Fernandine, "twelve 
ploughlands"; and to Rosader, his horse, armor, and lance, 
" with sixteene ploughlands."] 

1 1 take these from Halliwell-Phillipps, who reprints the novel in full 
in his folio ed. I insert the paragraphs in brackets to supply the gaps 
in the narrative. 



Notes 147 



Act I. Scene I. — Saladyne, " after a months mourning was past, 
fel to consideration of his fathers testament; how hee had be- 
queathed more to his yoonger brothers than himselfe, that Rosader 
was his fathers darling, but now under his tuition, that as yet they 
were not come to yeares, and he being their gardian, might, if not 
defraud them of their due, yet make such havocke of theyr legacies 
and lands, as they should be a great deal the lighter : whereupon 
he began thus to meditate with himselfe. ... 

"Thy brother is yoong, keepe him now in awe; make him not 
checke mate with thy selfe, for, — ' Nimia familiaritas contemptum 
parit.' Let him know litle, so shall he not be able to execute 
much : suppresse his wittes with a base estate, and though hee 
be a gentleman by nature, yet forme him anew, and make him 
a peasant by nourture. So shalt thou keepe him as a slave, and 
raigne thy selfe sole lord over all thy fathers possessions. As for 
Fernandyne, thy middle brother, he is a scholler and hath no minde 
but on Aristotle : let him reade on Galen while thou riflest with 
golde, and pore on his booke whilest thou doest purchase landes : 
witte is great wealth; if he have learning it is enough, and so 
let all rest. ■■- , . ^^^^■-.. 

" In this humour was Saladyne, making his brother Rosader his 
foote boy for the space of two or three yeares, keeping him in such 
servile subjection, as if he had been the sonne of any country 
vassal. The young gentleman bare all with patience, til on a day, 
walking in the garden by himselfe, he began to consider how he 
was the sonne of John of Bourdeaux, a knight renowmed for many 
victories, and a gentleman famozed for his vertues; how, contrarie 
to the testament of his father, hee was not only kept from his land 
and intreated as a servant, but smothered in such secret slaverie, 
as hee might not attaine to any honourable actions. Alas, quoth 
hee to himselfe, nature woorking these effectuall passions, why 
should I, that am a gentleman borne, passe my time in such un- 
natural drudgery? were it not better either in Paris to become a 
scholler, or in the court a courtier, or in the field a souldier, then 



148 Notes 

to live a foote boy to my own brother ? nature hath lent me wit to 
conceive, but my brother denies mee art to contemplate : I have 
strength to performe any honorable exployt, but no libertie to 
accomplish my vertuous indevours : those good partes that God 
hath bestowed upon mee, the envy of my brother doth smother in 
obscuritie; the harder is my fortune, and the more his frowardnes. 
With that, casting up his hand he felt haire on his face, and per- 
ceiving his beard to bud, for choler hee began to blush, and swore 
to himselfe he would be no more subject to such slaverie. As he 
was thus ruminating of his melancholic passions in came Saladyne 
with his men, and seeing his brother in a browne study, and to 
forget his wonted reverence, thought to shake him out of his 
dumps thus. Sirha, quoth he, what is your heart on your halfe- 
peny, or are you saying a dirge for your fathers soule ? what, is my 
dinner readie ? At this question Rosader, turning his head ascance, 
and bending his browes as if anger there had ploughed the furrowes 
of her wrath, with his eyes full of fire, hee made this replie. Doest 
thou aske mee, Saladyne, for thy cates ? aske some of thy churles 
who are fit for suche an office : I am thine equal by nature, though 
not by birth, and though thou hast more cardes in thy bunch, I 
have as many trumpes in my handes as thy selfe. Let me question 
with thee, why thou hast feld my woods, spoyled my manner 
houses, and made havocke of suche utensalles as my father be- 
queathed unto mee ? I tell thee, Saladyne, either answere mee as 
a brother, or I wil trouble thee as an enemie. At this replie of 
Rosaders Saladyne smiled, as laughing at his presumption, and 
frowned as checking his folly: he therfore tooke him up thus 
shortly : What, sirha, wel I see early pricks the tree that wil proove 
a thorne : hath my familiar conversing with you made you coy, or 
my good lookes drawne you to be thus contemptuous ? I can 
quickly remedie such a fault, and I wil bend the tree while it is a 
wand. In faith, sir boy, I have a snaffle for such a headstrong colt. 
You, sirs, lay holde on him and binde him, and then I wil give him 
a cooling carde for his choller. This made Rosader halfe mad, 



Notes 149 



that stepping to a great rake that stood in the garden, hee laide 
such loade uppon his brothers men that hee hurt some of them, 
and made the rest of them run away. Saladyne seeing Rosader so 
resolute, and with his resokition so valiant, thought his heeles his 
best safetie, and tooke him to a loaft adjoyning to the garden, 
whether Rosader pursued him hotly. Saladine, afraide of his 
brothers furie, cried out to him thus : Rosader, be not so rash : I 
am thy brother and thine elder, and if I have done thee wrong ile 
make thee amendes. . . . 

" These wordes appeased the choller of Rosader, for he was of a 
milde and curteous nature, so that hee layde downe his weapons, 
and upon the faith of a gentleman assured his brother hee would 
offer him no prejudice : whereupon Saladyne came down, and after 
a little parley, they imbraced cache other and became friends. . . . 
Thus continued the pad hidden in the strawe, til it chaunced that 
Torismond, king of France, had appointed for his pleasure a day 
of wrastling and of tournament to busie his commons heades, least, 
being idle, their thoughts should runne uppon more serious matters, 
and call to remembrance their old banished king. A champion 
there was to stand against all commers, a Norman, a man of tall 
stature and of great strength; so valiant, that in many such con- 
flicts he alwaies bare away the victorie, not onely overthrowing 
them which hee incountred, but often with the weight of his bodie 
killing them outright. Saladyne hearing of this, thinking now not 
to let the ball fal to the ground, but to take opportunitie by the 
forehead, first by secret meanes convented with the Norman, and 
procured him with rich rewards to sweare, that if Rosader came 
within his clawes hee would never more returne to quarrel with 
Saladyne for his possessions. The Norman desirous of pelfe, as, 
quis nisi vientis inops oblaium respuit auru^n, taking great gifts 
for litle gods, tooke the crownes of Saladyne to performe the strata- 
gem. Having thus the champion tied to his vilanous determination 
by oath, hee prosecuted the intent of his purpose thus : — He went 
to yoong Rosader, who in all his thoughts reacht at honour, and 



150 Notes 



gazed no lower then vertue commanded him, and began to tel him 
of this tournament and wrastling, how the king should be there 
and all the chiefe peeres of France, with all the beautiful damosels 
of the countrey. Now, brother, quoth hee, for the honor of Sir 
John of Bourdeaux, our renowmed father, to famous that house 
that never hath bin found without men approoved in chivalrie 
shewe thy resolution to be peremptorie. For myselfe thou knowest 
though I am eldest by birth, yet never having attempted any deedes 
of armes, I am yongest to performe any martial exploytes, knowing 
better how to survey my lands then to charge my launce : my 
brother Fernandyne hee is at Paris poring on a fewe papers, having 
more insight into sophistrie and principles of philosophic, then anie 
warlyke indeveurs; but thou, Rosader, the youngest in yeares but 
the eldest in valour, art a man of strength, and darest doo what 
honour allowes thee. Take thou thy fathers launce, his sword, and 
his horse, and hye thee to the tournament, and either there valiantly 
cracke a speare, or trie with the Norman for the palme of activitie. 
The words of Saladyne were but spurres to a free horse, for hee 
had scarce uttered them ere Rosader tooke him in his armes, 
taking his proffer so kindly that hee promised in what hee might 
to requite his curtesie. ... 

Scene II. — "But leaving him so desirous of the journey, turn 
we to Torismond, the king of France, who having by force banished 
Gerismond, their lawful king, that lived as an outlaw in the forest 
of Arden, sought now by all meanes to keep the French busied 
with all sports that might breed their content. Amongst the rest 
he had appointed this solemne turnament, wherunto hee in most 
solemne maner resorted, accompanied with the twelve peers of 
France, who, rather for fear then love, graced him with the shew 
of their dutiful favours. To feede their eyes, and to make the 
beholders pleased with the sight of most rare and glistring objects, 
he had appoynted his owne daughter Alinda to be there, and the 
fair Rosalynd, daughter unto Gerismond, with al the beautifull 
damoselles that were famous for their features in all France. . . . 



Notes 151 



" At last when the tournament ceased, the wrastling beganne, and 
the Norman presented himselfe as a chalenger against all commers, 
but hee looked lyke Hercules when he advaunst himselfe agaynst 
Acheloiis, so that the furie of his countenance amazed all that durst 
attempte to incounter with him in any deed of activitie : til at last a 
lustie Francklin of the country came with two tall men, that were his 
sonnes, of good lyniaments and comely personage : the eldest of 
these, dooing his obeysance to the king, entered the lyst, and pre- 
sented himselfe to the Norman, who straight coapt with him, and 
as a man that would triumph in the glorie of his strength, roused 
himselfe with such furie, that not onely hee gave him the fall, but 
killed him with the weight of his corpulent personage; which the 
younger brother seeing, lepte presently into the place, and thirstie 
after the revenge, assayled the Norman with such valour, that at 
the first incounter hee brought him to his knees : which repulst so 
the Norman, that recovering himselfe, feare of disgrace doubling 
his strength, hee stept so stearnely to the yoong Francklin, that 
taking him up in his armes hee threw him against the grounde so 
violently, that hee broake his necke, and so ended his dayes with his 
brother. . . . 

" With that Rosader vailed bonnet to the king, and lightly leapt 
within the lists, where noting more the companie then the comba- 
tant, he cast his eye upon the troupe of ladies that glistered there 
lyke the starres of heaven ; but at last Love willing to make 
him as amourous as he was valiant, presented him with the sight of 
Rosalynd, whose admirable beauty so inveagled the eye of Rosader, 
that forgetting himselfe, hee stood and fedde his lookes on the 
favour of Rosalyndes face ; which shee perceiving, blusht, which 
was such a doubling of her beauteous excellence, that the bashful 
redde of Aurora at the sight of unacquainted Phaeton was not halfe so 
glorious. The Normane, seeing this young gentleman fettered in 
the lookes of the ladyes, drave him out of his memento with a shake 
by the shoulder. Rosader looking backe with an angrie frowne, as 
if hee had been wakened from some pleasaunt dreame, discovered 



1^2 Notes 



to all by the furye of his countenance that hee was a man of some 
high thoughts : but when they all noted his youth, and the sweet- 
nesse of his visage, with a general applause of favours, they grieved 
that so goodly a yoong man should venture in so base an action : 
but seeing it were to his dishonour to hinder him from his enter- 
prise, they wisht him to bee graced with the palme of victorie. After 
Rosader was thus called out of his memento by the Norman, he roughly 
clapt to him with so fierce an incounter, that they both fel to the 
ground, and with the violence of the fal were forced to breathe : 
in which space the Norman called to minde by all tokens, that this 
was hee whome Saladyne had appoynted him to kil; which 
conjecture, made him stretch every limbe, and try every sinew, 
that working his death hee might recover the golde which so 
bountifully was promised him. On the contrary part, Rosader 
while he breathed was not idle, but stil cast his eye upon Rosalynde, 
who to incourage him with a favour, lent him such an amorous 
looke, as might have made the most coward desperate: which 
glance of Rosalynd so fiered the passionate desires of Rosader, that 
turning to the Norman, hee ranne upon him and braved him with 
a strong encounter. The Norman received him as valiantly, that 
there was a sore combat, hard to judge on whose side fortune would 
be prodigal. At last Rosader, calling to minde the beautie of his 
new mistresse, the fame of his fathers honours, and the disgrace 
that should fal to his house by his misfortune, rowsed himselfe, and 
threw the Norman against the ground, falling uppon his chest with 
so willing a weight, that the Norman yielded nature her due, and 
Rosader the victorie." 

Scene III. — Torismond " thought to banish her [Rosalynd] from 
the court : for, quoth he to himselfe, her face is so ful of favour, 
that it pleades pittie in the eye of every man : her beauty is so 
heavenly and devine, that she wil prove to me as Helen did to 
Priam : some one of the peeres wil ayme at her love, and the 
marriage, and then in his wives right attempt the kingdome. To 
prevent therefore had-I-wist in all these actions, shee tarryes not 



Notes 153 

about the court, but shall, as an exile, eyther wander to her father, 
or else seeke other fortunes. In this humour, with a sterne coun- 
tenance ful of wrath, he breathed out this censure unto her before 
the peers, that charged her that that night shee were not scene 
about the court : for, quoth he, I have heard of thy aspiring speeches, 
and intended treasons. This doome was strange unto Rosalynd, 
and presently covred with the shield of her innocence, she boldly 
brake out in reverent tearms to have cleared herself ; but 
Torismond would admit of no reason, nor durst his lords plead for 
Rosalynd, although her beauty had made some of them passionate, 
seeing the figure of wrath pourtrayed in his brow. Standing thus all 
mute, and Rosalynd amazed, Alinda, who loved her more than 
herself, with grief in her hart and teares in her eyes, falling down 
on her knees, began to intreat her father thus." 

[Then follows "Alindas Oration to her Father in Defence of 
faire Rosalynde," the result of which is that Alinda is included in 
the sentence against Rosalynd.] 

" At this Rosalynd began to comfort her, and after shee had wept 
a fewe kind teeres in the bosome of her Alinda, . . . they sat them 
downe to consult how they should travel. AHnda grieved at 
nothing but that they might have no man in their company, saying 
it would bee their greatest prejudice in that two women went, 
wandring without either guide or attendant. Tush, quoth Rosalynd, 
art thou a woman, and hast not a sodeine shift to prevent a 
misfortune ? I, thou seest, am of a tall stature, and would very 
wel become the person and apparel of a page : thoushal bee mye 
mistresse, and I wil play the man so properly, that, trust me, in 
what company so ever I come I wil not be discovered. I wil buy 
me a suite, and have my rapier very handsomly at my side, and if 
any knave offer wrong, your page will shew him the poynt of his 
weapon. At this AHnda smiled, and upon this they agreed, and 
presently gathered up al their jewels, which they trussed up in a 
casket, and Rosalynd in all hast provided her of robes, and Alinda, 
from her royall weedes, put herselfe in more homelie attire. Thus 



154 Notes 



fitted to the purpose, away goe these two friends, having now 
changed their names, Alinda being called Aliena, and Rosalynd, 
Ganimede, they travelled along the vineyardes, and by many by- 
waies, at last got to the forrest side, where they travelled by the 
space of two or three dayes without seeing anye creature, being 
often in danger of wilde beasts, and payned with many passionate 
sorrowes." . . . 

[They found verses written on the trees, but they were the " pas- 
sion" of Montanus, the Silvius of Shakespeare; and then they con- 
tinued their journey until " comming into a faire valley, compassed 
with mountaines, whereon grew many pleasaunt shrubbes, they might 
descrie where two flockes of sheepe did feed."] 

Act II. Scene IV. — "Then, looking about, they might per- 
ceive where an old shepheard [Montanus] sate, and with him 
a yoong swaine [Coridon], under a covert most pleasantly scitu- 
ated. . . . 

" The shepheards having thus ended their Eglogue,^ Aliena stept 
with Ganimede from behind the thicket; at whose sodayne sight 
the shepheards arose, and Aliena saluted them thus : Shepheards, 
all haile, for such wee deeme you by your flockes, and lovers, good 
lucke, for such you seeme by your passions, our eyes being wit- 
nesse of the one, and our eares of the other. Although not by love, 
yet by fortune, I am a distressed gentlewoman, as sorrowfull as you 
are passionate, and as full of woes as you of perplexed thoughts. 
Wandring this way in a forrest unknown, onely I and my page, 
wearied with travel, would faine have some place of rest. May you 
appoint us any place of quiet harbour, be it never so meane, I shall 
bee thankfuU to you, contented in my selfe, and gratefull to whoso- 
ever shall be mine host. Coridon, hearing the gentlewoman speake 
so courteously, returned her mildly and reverently this answerc. — 
Faire mistresse, wee returne you as hearty a welcome as you gave us 
a courteous salute. A shepheard I am, and this a lover, as watchful 

1 The " Eglogue " is a dialogue of thirty-four stanzas of four lines each. 



Notes 155 



to please his wench as to feed his sheep : ful of fancies, and there- 
fore, say I, full of follyes. Exhort him I may, but perswade him I 
cannot ; for love admits neither of counsaile nor reason. But leaving 
him to his passions, if you be distrest, I am sorrowfull such a faire 
creature is crost with calamitie : pray for you I may, but releeve you 
I cannot. Marry, if you want lodging, if you vouch to shrowd 
your selves in a shepheards cottage, my house for this night shall be 
your harbour. Aliena thankt Coridon greatly, and presently sate 
her downe and Ganimede by hir, Coridon looking earnestly upon 
her, and with a curious survey viewing all her perfections applauded, 
in his thought, her excellence, and pitying her distresse was desir- 
ous to heare the cause of her misfortunes, began to question with 
her thus. — If I should not, faire Damosell, occasionate offence, or 
renew your griefs by rubbing the scar, I would faine crave so much 
favour as to know the cause of your misfortunes, and why, and 
whither you wander with your page in so dangerous forest ? Aliena, 
that was as courteous as she was fayre, made this replie. Shepheard, 
a friendly demaund ought never to be offensive, and questions of 
curtesie carry priviledged pardons in their forheads. Know, there- 
fore, to discover my fortunes were to renew my sorrowes, and I 
should, by discoursing my mishaps, but rake fire out of the cynders. 
Therefore let this suffice, gentle shepheard : my distress is as great 
as my travaile is dangerous, and I wander in this forrest to light on 
some cotage where I and my page may dwell : for I meane to buy 
some farme, and a flocke of sheepe, and so become a shepheard- 
esse, meaning to live low, and content mee with a countrey life; for 
I have heard the swaines saye, that they drunke without suspition, 
and slept without care. Marry, mistress, quoth Coridon, if you 
meane so you came in good time, for my landlord intends to sell 
both the farme I tyll, and the flocke I keepe, and cheape you may 
have them for ready money: and for a shepheards life, oh mis- 
tres, did you but live a while in their content, you would say the 
courl were rather a place of sorrow then of solace. Here, mis- 
tresse, shal not fortune thwart you, but in mean misfortunes, as the 



156 



Notes 



losse of a few sheepe, which, as it breedes no beggery, so it can bee 
no extreame prejudice, the next yeare may mend all with a fresh in- 
crease. Envy stirres not us, we covet not to climbe, our desires 
mount not above our degrees, nor our thoughts above our fortunes. 
Care cannot harbour in our cottages, nor doe our homely couches 
know broken slumbers : as wee exceed not in dyet, so we have 
inough to satisfie : and, mistresse, I have so much Latin, satis est quod 
sufficit. By my troth, shepheard, quoth Aliena, thou makest mee 
in love with thy countrey life, and therfore send for thy landslord, 
and I will buy thy farme and thy flocks, and thou shalt still under 
me bee overseer of them both : onely for pleasure sake I and my 
page will serve you, lead the flocks to the field and folde them. 
Thus will I live quiet, unknowne, and contented. This newes so 
gladded the hart of Coridon, that he should not be put out of his 
farme, that putting off his shepheards bonnet, he did hir all the 
reverence that he might. But all this while sate Montanus in a 
muse, thinking of the crueltie of his Phoebe, whom he wooed long, 
but was in no hope to win. Ganimede, who stil had the remem- 
brance of Rosader in his thoughtes, tooke delight to see the poore 
shepheard passionate, laughing at love, that in all his actions was 
so imperious. At last, when she had noted his teares that stole 
down his cheeks, and his sighes that broke from the center of his 
heart, pittying his lament, she demanded of Coridon why the yong 
shepheard looked so sorrowful? Oh sir, quoth he, the boy is in 
love. . . . 

" With this they were at Coridon's cottage, where Montanus 
parted from them, and they went in to rest. Aliena and Ganimede, 
glad of so contented a shelter, made merry with the poore swaine; 
and though they had but countrey fare and course lodging, yet 
their welcome was so greate, and their cares so little, that they 
counted their diet delicate, and slept as soundly as if they had 
beene in the court of Torismond. The next morne they lay long in 
bed, as wearyed with the toyle of unaccustomed travaile ; but assoone 
as they got up, Aliena resolved there to set up her rest, and by the 



Notes 157 



helpe of Goridon swapt a bargaine with his landslord, and so became 
mistres of the farme and the flocke, her selfe putting on the attyre 
of a shepherdesse, and Ganimede of a yong swaine ; everye day 
leading foorth her flockes, with such delight, that she held her 
exile happy, and thoght no content to the blisse of a countrey 
cottage." . . . 

[Meanwhile Rosader, driven _frpm home.,by;,iheJiaxshne5S M„k^^^ 
brother, takes with him his father's old servant, Adam Spencer, and 
makes for the forest of Arden.] 

Scene VI. — " BufKosader and Adam, knowing full well the secret 
waies that led through the vineyards, stole away privily through the 
province of Bordeaux, and escaped safe to the forrest of Arden. 
Being come thether, they were glad they had so good a harbour : 
but fortune, who is like the camelion, variable with every object, and 
constant in nothing but inconstancie, thought to make them myr- 
rours of her mutabilitie, and therefore still crost them thus contra- 
rily. Thinking still to passe on by the bywaies to get to Lions, they 
chanced on a path that led into the thicke of the forrest, where 
they wandred five or sixe dayes without meate, that they were 
almost famished, finding neither shepheard nor cottage to relieve 
them ; and hunger growing on so extreame, Adam Spencer, being 
olde, began to faint, and sitting him downe on a hill, and looking 
about him, espied where Rosader laye as feeble and as ill per- 
plexed : which sight made him shedde teares. . . . 

" As he was readie to go forward in his passion, he looked ear- 
nestly on Rosader, and seeing him chaunge colour, hee rose up and 
went to him, and holding his temples, said, What cheere, maister ? 
though all faile, let not the heart faint : the courage of a man is 
shewd in the resolution of his death. At these wordes Rosader 
lifted up his eye, and looking on Adam Spencer, began to weep. 
Ah, Adam, quoth he, I sorrow not to dye, but I grieve at the maner 
of my death. Might I with my launce encounter the enemy, and 
so die in the field, it were honour, and content : might I, Adam, 
combate with some wilde beast, and perish as his praie, I were satis- 



158 



Notes 



fied ; but to die with hunger, O, Adam, it is the extreamest of all 
extreames ! Maister, quoth he, you see we are both in one predica- 
ment, and long I cannot live without meate; seeing therefore we 
can finde no foode, let the death of the one preserve the life of the 
other. I am old, and overworne with age, you are yoong, and are 
the hope of many honours : let me then dye, I will presently cut 
my veynes, and, maister, with the warme blood relieve your fainting 
spirites : sucke on that til I ende, and you be comforted. With that 
Adam Spencer was ready to pull out his knife, when Rosader, full 
of courage, though verie faint, rose up, and wisht Adam Spencer 
to sit there til his returne ; for my mind gives me, quoth he, that I 
shall bring thee meate. With that, like a mad man, he rose up, 
and raunged up and downe the woods, seeking to encounter some 
wilde beaste with his rapier, that either he might carry his friend 
Adam food, or else pledge his life in pawn for his loyaltie. 

Scene VII. — "It chaunced that day, that Gerismond, the lawfull 
king of France banished by Torismond, who with a lustie crue of 
outlawes lived in that forest, that day in honour of his birth made 
a feast to all his bolde yeomen, and frolickt it with store of wine and 
venison, sitting all at a long table under the shadow of lymon trees. 
To that place by chance fortune conducted Rosader, who seeing 
such a crue of brave men, having store of that for want of which 
hee and Adam perished, hee stept boldly to the boords end, and 
saluted the company thus : — Whatsoever thou be that art maister of 
these lustie squiers, I salute thee as graciously as a man in extreame 
distresse may : know that I and a fellow friend of mine are here 
famished in the forrest for want of food : perish wee must, unlesse 
relieved by thy favours. Therefore, if thou be a gentleman, give 
meate to men, and to such men as are everie way woorthie of life. 
Let the proudest squire that sits at thy table rise and incounter with 
mee in any honorable point of activitie whatsoever, and if hee and 
thou proove me not a man, send me away comfortlesse. If thou 
refuse this, as a niggard of thy cates, I will have amongst you with 
my sword j for rather wil I dye valiantly, then perish with so 



Notes 159 



cowardly an extreame. Gerismond, looking him earnestly in the 
face, and seeing so proper a gentleman in so bitter a passion, was 
moved with so great pitie, that rising from the table, he tooke him 
by the hand and badde him welcome, willing him to sit downe in 
his place, and in his roome not onely to eat his fill, but be lorde 
of the feast. Grammercy, sir, quoth Rosader, but I have a feeble 
friend that lyes hereby famished almost for food, aged and there- 
fore lesse able to abide the extremitie of hunger than my selfe, and 
dishonour it were for me to taste one crumme, before I made him 
partner of my fortunes : therefore I will runne and fetch him, and 
then I will gratefully accept of your proffer. Away hies Rosader 
to Adam Spencer, and tels him the newes, who was glad of so hap- 
pie fortune, but so feeble he was that he could not go ; whereupon 
Rosader got him up on his backe, and brought him to the place. 
Which when Gerismond and his men saw, they greatly applauded 
their league of friendship ; and Rosader, having Gerismond's place 
assigned him, would not sit there himselfe, but set downe Adam 
Spencer. . . . 

Act III. Scene I. — " The flight of Rosader came to the eares of 
Torismond, who hearing that Saladyne was sole heire of the landes 
of Sir John of Bourdeaux, desirous to possesse suche fair erevenewes, 
found just occasion to quarrell with Saladyne about the wrongs he 
proffered to his brother ; and therefore, dispatching a herehault, he 
sent for Saladyne in all poast haste : who, marvelling what the mat- 
ter should be, began to examine his owne conscience, wherein hee 
had offended his highnesse ; but imboldened with his innocence, he 
boldly went vnth the herehault unto the court ; where, assoone as 
hee came, hee was not admitted into the presence of the king, but 
presently sent to prison. ... 

"In the depth of his passion, hee was sent for to the king, who, 
with a looke that threatened death entertained him, and demaunded 
of him where his brother was ? Saladyne made answer, that upon 
some ryot made against the sherifife of the shire, he was fled from 
Bordeaux, but he knew not whither. Nay, villaine, quoth he, I 



i6o Notes 

have heard of the wronges thou hast proffered thy brother, since 
the death of thy father and by thy means have I lost a most brave 
and resokite chevaher. Therefore, in justice to punish thee, I spare 
thy life for thy father's sake, but banish thee for ever from the court 
and countrey of France ; and see thy departure be within tenne 
dayes, els trust me thou shalt loose thy head. And with that the 
king flew away in a rage, and left poore Saladyne greatly perplexed ; 
who grieving at his exile, yet determined to bear it with patience, 
and in penaunce of his former follies to travaile abroade in every 
coast till he had found out his brother Rosader." . . . 

[Meanwhile, " Rosader, beeing thus preferred to the place of a 
forrester by Gerismond, rooted out the remembrance of his brothers 
unkindnes by continuall exercise, traversing the groves and wilde 
forrests. . . . Yet whatsoever he did, or howsoever he walked, 
the lively image of Rosalynde remained in memorie." At length 
he meets Ganimede and Aliena.] 

Scene II. — " Ganimede, pittying her Rosader, thinking to drive 
him out of this amorous melancholy, said, that now the sunne was in 
his meridionall heat, and that it was high noone, therefore wee shep- 
heards say, tis time to go to dinner; for the sunne and our stomackes 
are shepheards dials. Therefore, forrester, if thou wilt take such fare 
as comes out of our homely scrips, welcome shall answere whatso- 
ever thou wantest in delicates. Aliena tooke the entertainment by 
the ende, and tolde Rosader hee should bee her guest. He thankt 
them heartily, and sat with them downe to dinner, where they had 
such cates as countrey state did allow them, sawst with such con- 
tent, and such sweete prattle, as it seemed farre more sweet than all 
their courtly junkets. Assone as they had taken their repast, 
Rosader, giving them thankes for his good cheare, would have been 
gone; but Ganimede, that was loath to let him passe out of her 
presence, began thus : Nay, forrester, quoth she, if thy busines be 
not the greater, seeing thou saist thou art so deeply in love, let me 
see how thou canst wooe : I will represent Rosalynde, and thou 
shalt bee as thou art, Rosader. See in some amorous eglogue, how 



Notes i6i 

if Rosalyrid were present, how thou couldst court her; and while 
we sing of love, Aliena shall tune her pipe and plaie us melodic^ . . . 

" And thereupon, quoth Aliena, He play the priest : from this 
daye forth Ganimede shall call thee husband, and thou shalt cal 
Ganimede wife, and so weele have a marriage. Content, quoth 
Rosader, and laught. Content, quoth Ganimede, and chaunged as 
red as a rose : and so with a smile and a blush, they made up this 
jesting match, that after proved to be a marriage in earnest, 
Rosader full little thinking hee had wooed and wonne his Rosa- 
lynde. . . . 

Act IV. Scene III. — " All this while did poore Saladyne, ban- 
ished from Bourdeahx and the court of France, by Torismond, wander 
up and downe in the forrest of Arden, thinking to get to Lyons, and 
so travail through Germany into Italic : but the forrest beeing full 
of by-pathes, and he unskilfull of the country coast, slipt out of the 
way, and chaunced up into the desart, not farre from the place 
where Gerismond was, and his brother Rosader. Saladyne, wearie 
with wandring up and downe, and hungry with long fasting, finding 
a little cave by the side of a thicket, eating such fruite as the for- 
rest did affoord, and contenting himselfe with such drinke as nature 
had provided and thirst made delicate, after his repast he fell into 
a dead sleepe. As thus he lay, a hungry lyon came hunting downe 
the edge of the grove for pray, and espying Saladyne began to ceaze 
upon him : but seeing he lay still without any motion, he left to 
touch him, for that lyons hate to pray on dead carkasses; and yet 
desirous to have some foode, the lyon lay downe, and watcht to 
see if he would stirre. While thus Saladyne slept secure, fortune 
that was careful of her champion began to smile, and brought it so 
to passe, that Rosader, having stricken a deere that but slightly 
hurt fled through the thicket, came pacing downe by the grove 
with a boare-speare in his hande in great haste. He espyed where 

1 "The wooing Eglogue betwixt Rosalynde and Rosader," which 
follows, is too long for quotation, and besides, Shakespeare appears to 
have made no use of it. 

AS YOU LIKE IT — II 



1 62 Notes 

a man lay a sleepe, and a lyon fast by him : amazed at this sight, 
as he stoode gazing, his nose on the sodaine bledde, which made 
him conjecture it was some friend of his. Whereuppon drawing 
more nigh, he might easily discerne his visage, perceived by his 
phisnomie that it was his brother Saladyne, which drave Rosader 
into a deepe passion, as a man perplexed at the sight of so un- 
expected a chance, marvelling what should drive his brother to 
traverse those secrete desarts, without any companie, in such dis- 
tressed and forlorne sorte. But the present time craved no such 
doubting ambages, for he must eyther resolve to hazard his life for 
his reliefe, or else steale away, and leave him to the crueltie of the 
lyon. . . . 

" With that his brother began to stirre, and the lyon to rowse 
himselfe, whereupon Rosader sodainly charged him with the boare 
speare, and wounded the lyon very sore at the first stroke. The 
beast feeling himselfe to have a mortall hurt, leapt at Rosader, and 
with his pawes gave him such a sore pinch on the brest, that he 
had almost fain; yet as a man most valiant, in whom the sparks of 
Sir John of Bourdeaux remained, he recovered himselfe, and in 
short combat slew the lion, who at his death roared so lowd that 
Saladyne awaked, and starting up, was amazed at the sudden sight 
of so monstrous a beast lying slaine by him, and so sweet a gentle- 
man wounded. 

" Saladyne casting up his eye, and noting well the phisnomy of 
the forrester, knew that it was his brother Rosader, which made 
him so bash and blush at the first meeting, that Rosader was faine 
to recomfort him, which he did in such sort, that hee shewed how 
highly he held revenge in scorne. Much ado there was betweene 
these two brethren, Saladyne in craving pardon, and Rosader in 
forgiving and forgetting all former injuries; the one humble and 
submisse, the other milde and curteous; Saladyne penitent and 
passionate, Rosader kynd and loving, that at length nature working 
an union of their thoughts, they earnestly embraced, and fell from 
matters of unkindnesse, to talke of the country life, which Rosader 



Notes 163 



so highly commended, that his brother began to have a desire to 
taste of that homely content. In this humor Rosader conducted 
him to Gerismonds lodge, and presented his brother to the king, 
discoursing the whole matter how all had hapned betwixt them. . . . 
Assoone as they had taken their repast, and had wel dined, Rosader 
tooke his brother Saladyne by the hand, and shewed him the 
pleasures of the forrest, and what content they enjoyed in that mean 
estate. Thus for two or three dayes he walked up and downe with 
his brother to shew him all the commodities that belonged to his 
walke; during which time hee was greatly mist of his Ganymede, 
who mused much with Aliena what should become of their forrester. 
Act III, Scene V. — " With this Ganimede made her ready, and 
went into the fields with Aliena, where -unfolding their flockes, they 
sate them downe under an olive tree, both of them amorous, and 
yet diversely affected, Aliena joying in the excellence of Saladyne,^ 
and Ganimede sorowing for the wounds of her Rosader ; not quiet 
in thought till shee might heare of his health. As thus both of 
them sate in their dumpes, they might espie where Coridon came 
running towards them, almost out of breath with his hast. What 
nevves with you, quoth Aliena, that you come in such post? Oh, 
mistres, quoth Coridon, you have a long time desired to see Phoebe, 
the faire shepheardesse whom Montanus loves ; so now if you please, 
you and Ganimede, to walk with mee to yonder thicket, there shall 
you see Montanus and her sitting by a fountaine, he courting her 
with her countrey ditties, and she as coy as if she held love in dis- 
daine. The newes were so welcome to the two lovers, that up they 

1 " An incident in the novel, which accounts for the sudden falling in 
love of Saladyne and Aliena, is altogether omitted by Shakespeare. A 
band of robbers attempt to carry off Aliena, Rosader encounters them 
single-handed, but is wounded and almost overpowered, when his brother 
comes to the rescue. While Ganimede is dressing Rosader's wounds, 
Aliena and Saladyne indulge in some ' quirkes and quiddities of love,' 
the course of which is told with considerable detail. Aliena's secret is 
soon extorted from her by Ganimede " (Wright). 



164 



Notes 



rose, and went with Coridon. Assoone as they drew nigh the thicket, 
they might espie where Phoebe sate, the fairest shepherdesse in all 
Arden, and he the frolickest swaine in the whole forrest, she in a 
petticote of scarlet, covered with a green mantle, and to shrowd her 
from the sunne, a chaplet of roses, from under which appeared a 
face full of natures excellence, and two such eyes as might have 
amated a greater man than Montanus. At gaze uppon this gor- 
geous nymph sate the shepheard, feeding his eyes with her favours, 
wooing with such piteous lookes, and courting with such deepe 
strained sighs, as would have made Diana her selfe to have been 
compassionate. . . . Ah, Phoebe, quoth he, whereof art thou made, 
that thou regardest not my maladie? ... At these wordes she 
fild her face full of frowns, and made him this short and sharpe 
reply. — Importunate shepheard, whose loves are lawlesse, because 
restlesse, are thy passions so extreame that thou canst not conceale 
them with patience? . . . Wert thou, Montanus, as faire as Paris, 
as hardy as Hector, as constant as Troylus, as loving as Lea;nder, 
Phoebe could not love, because she cannot love at all : and therefore 
if thou pursue me with Phoebus I must flie with Daphne. Gani- 
mede, overhearing all these passions of Montanus, could not brooke 
the crueltie of Phoebe, but starting from behind the bush said ; And 
if, damzell, you fled from mee, I would transforme you as Daphne 
to a bay, and then in contempt trample your branches under my feet. 
Phoebe at this sodaine replye was amazed, especially when shee saw 
so faire a swaine as Ganimede ; blushing therefore, she would have 
bene gone, but that he held her by the hand, and prosecuted his 
reply thus: What, shepheardesse, so faire and so cruell? Disdaine 
beseemes not cottages, nor coynesse maids; for either they be con- 
demned to be too proud, or too froward . . . Love while thou art 
yoong, least thou be disdained when thou art olde. Beautie nor 
time cannot be recalde, and if thou love, like of Montanus; for if 
his desires are many, so his deserts are great. Phoebe all this while 
gazed on the perfection of Ganimede, as deeply enamored on his 
perfection as Montanus inveigled with hers. . . . 



Notes 165 



Act V. Scene II. — "I am glad, quoth Ganimede,^ you looke 
into your own faults, and see where your shoo wrings you,. measuring 
now the pains of Montanus by your owne passions. Truth, q. Phoebe, 
and so deeply I repent me of my frowardnesse towards the shep- 
heard, that could I cease to love Ganimede, I would resolve to like 
Montanus. What if I can with reason perswade Phoebe to mislike 
of Ganimede, wil she than favour Montanus ? When reason, quoth 
she, doth quench that love that I doe owe to thee, then will I fancie 
him; conditionally, that if my love can bee supprest with no 
reason, as being without reason, Ganimede will onely wed himselfe 
to Phoebe. I graunt it, faire shepheardesse, quoth he; and to feed 
thee M'ith the sweetnesse of hope, this resolve on : I wil never 
marry my selfe to woman but unto thy selfe. . . . Ganimede tooke 
his leave of Phoebe and departed, leaving her a contented woman, 
and Montanus highly pleased. ... As she came on the plaines, 
shee might espy where Rosader and Saladyne sat with Aliena 
under the shade. ... I had not gone abroad so soone, quoth 
Rosader, but that I am bidden to a marriage, which, on Sunday 
next, must bee solemnpnized betweene my brother and Aliena. I 
see well where love leads delay is loathsome, and that small wooing 
serves where both the parties are willing. Truth, quoth Ganimede; 
but what a happy day should it be, if Rosader that day might be 
married to Rosalynd. Ah, good Ganimede, quoth he, by naming 
Rosalynd, renue not my sorrowes; for the thought of her perfec- 
tions is the thrall of my miseries. Tush, bee of good cheare, man, 
quoth Ganimede : I have a friend that is deeply experienst in 
negromancy and magicke; what art can do shall be acted for thine 
advantage. I wil cause him to bring in Rosalynde, if either France 
or any bordring nation harbour her; and upon that take the faith 
of a yoong shepheard. . . . 

Scene IV. — "In these humors the weeke went away, that at 
last Sunday came. ... As they were thus drinking and ready to 

1 This is at an interview with Phoebe after the latter has sent a letter 
to Ganimede by Montanus. 



1 66 Notes 

go to church, came in Montanus, apparalled all in tawny, to signifie 
that he was forsaken : on his head hee wore a garland of willow, 
his bottle hanged by his side, whereon was painted dispaire, and 
on his sheephooke hung two sonnets, as labels of his loves and 
fortunes. . . . Gerismond, desirous to prosecute the ende of these 
passions, called in Ganimede, who, knowing the case, came in 
graced with such a blush, as beautified the christall of his face with 
a ruddie brightnesse. The king noting well the phisnomy of 
Ganimede, began by his favour to cal to mind the face of his Rosa- 
lynd, and with that fetcht a deepe sigh. Rosader, that was passing 
familiar with Gerismond, demanded of him why he sighed so sore ? 
Because, Rosader, quoth hee, the favour of Ganimede puts mee in 
minde of Rosalynde. At this word Rosader sighed so deeply, as 
though his heart would have burst. And whats the matter, quoth 
Gerismond, that you quite mee with such a sigh ? Pardon me, sir, 
quoth Rosader, because I love none but Rosalynd. And upon that 
condition, quoth Gerismond, that Rosalynd were here, I would this 
day make up a marriage betwixt her and thee. At this Aliena 
turnd her head and smilde upon Ganimede, and shee could scarce 
keep countenance. Yet shee salved all with secrecie; and Geris- 
mond, to drive away his dumpes, questioned with Ganimede, what 
the reason was he regarded not Phoebes love, seeing she was as 
faire as the wanton that brought Troy to ruine ? Ganimede mildly 
answered, If I shuld affect the faire Phoebe, I should offer poore 
Montanus great wrong to winne that from him in a moment, that 
hee hath labored for so many monthes. Yet have I promised to 
the bewtiful shepheardesse to wed my selfe never to woman except 
unto her; but with this promise, that if I can by reason suppresse 
Phoebes love towards me, she shall like of none but of Montanus. 
To that, quoth Phoebe, I stand; for my love is so far beyond reason, 
as wil admit no persuasion of reason. For justice, quoth he, I 
appeale to Gerismond: and to his censure wil I stand, quoth 
Phoebe. And in your victory, quoth Montanus, stands the hazard 
of my fortunes, for if Ganimede go away with conquest, Montanus 



Notes 167 



is in conceit loves monarch : if Phoebe winne, then am I in effect 
most miserable. We wil see this controversie, quoth Gerismond, 
and then we will to church : therefore, Ganimede, let us heare your 
argument. Nay, pardon my absence a while, quoth shee, and you 
shall see one in store. In went Ganimede and drest her self in 
womans attire, having on a gowne of greene, with a kirtle of rich 
sandall, so quaint, that she seemed Diana triumphing in the for- 
rest : upon her head she wore a chaplet of roses, which gave her 
such a grace that she looked like Flora pearkt in the pride of all 
her floures. Thus attired came Rosalind in, and presented hir self 
at hir fathers feete, with her eyes full of teares, craving his blessing, 
and discoursing unto him all her fortunes, how shee was banished 
by Torismond, and how ever since she lived in that country dis- 
guised. ... ^ 

" While every one was amazed, . . . Coridon came skipping in, 
and told them that the priest was at church, and tarried for their 
comming. With that Gerismond led the way, and the rest followed; 
where to the admiration of all the countrey swains in Arden, their 
marriages were solemnly solemnized." ... 

It will be seen, that while the Poet followed the novel closely in 
the main incidents of his plot, the characterization is exclusively 
his own. The personages common to the novel and the play are 
as truly new creations in the latter as Jaques, Touchstone, and 
Audrey, who have no place in the former. Even the deviations in 
the conduct of the story, as Knight remarks, "furnish a most 
remarkable example of the wonderful superiority of his art as com- 
pared with the art of other men." We cannot discuss these in 
detail; the quotations we have given from the novel will enable 
the reader to examine them for himself.^ 

1 Compare what Campbell says in his introduction to the play : " The 
plot of this delicious comedy was taken by our Poet from Lodge's 
' Rosalynde, or Euphues' Golden Legacye.' Some of Lodge's incidents 
are judiciously omitted, but the greater part are preserved — the wrest- 
ling scene, the flight of the two ladies into the forest of Arden, the meet- 



1 68 Notes 

I may add that the character of Adam has a peculiar interest from 
the fact that, according to a tradition current in the eighteenth cen- 
tury, the part was performed by Shakespeare. Steevens gives the 
following extract from Oldys's manuscript collections for a life of 
the poet : — 

" One of Shakespeare's younger brothers, who lived to a good old 
age, even some years, as I compute, after the restoration of 
K. Charles 11. , would in his younger days come to London to visit 
his brother Will^ as he called him, and be a spectator of him as an 
actor in some of his own plays. This custom, as his brother's fame 
enlarged, and his dramatic entertainments grew the greatest support 
of our principal, if not of all our theatres, he continued it seems so 
long after his brother's death, as even to the latter end of his own 
life. The curiosity at this time of the most noted actors [exciting 
them] to learn something from him of his brother, &c., they justly 
held him in the highest veneration. And it may be well believed, 
as there was besides a kinsman and descendant of the family, who 
was then a celebrated actor ^ among them, this opportunity made 
them greedily inquisitive into every little circumstance, more espe- 

ing there of Rosalind with her father and mother, and the whole happy 
termination of the plot, are found in the prose romance. Even the 
names of the personages are but slightly changed ; for Lodge's Rosa- 
lind, in her male attire, calls herself Ganymede, and her cousin, as a 
shepherdess, is named Aliena. But never was the prolixity and ped- 
antry of a prosaic narrative transmuted by genius into such magical 
poetry. In the days of James L, George Heriot, the Edinburgh mer- 
chant who built a hospital still bearing his name, is said to have made 
his fortune by purchasing for a trifle a quantity of sand that had been 
brought as ballast by a ship from Africa. As it was dry, he suspected 
from its weight that it contained gold, and he succeeded in filtering a 
treasure from it. Shakespeare, like Heriot, took the dry and heavy 
sand of Lodge, and made gold out of it." 

1 Charles Hart, who was perhaps a grandson of Shakespeare's sister 
Joan. 



Notes 169 

daily in his dramatick character, which his brother could relate of 
him. But he, it seems, was so stricken in years, and possibly his 
memory so weakened with infirmities (which might make him the 
easier pass for a man of weak intellects), that he could give them 
but little light into their enquiries ; and all that could be recollected 
from him of his brother Wi//, in that station was, the faint, general, 
and almost lost ideas he had of having once seen him act a part in 
one of his own comedies, wherein being to personate a decrepit old 
man, he wore a long beard, and appeared so weak and drooping 
and unable to walk, that he was forced to be supported and carried 
by another person to a table, at which he was seated among some 
company, who were eating, and one of them sung a song." 

Capell also has the following : — 

"A traditional story was current some years ago about 
Stratford, — that a very old man of that place, — of weak intellects, 
but yet related to Shakespeare, — being ask'd by some of his 
neighbours, what he remember'd about him ; answer'd, — that he 
saw him once brought on the stage upon another man's back ; 
which answer was apply'd by the hearers, to his having seen him 
perform in this scene the part of Adam." 

This story came to Capell from Mr. Thomas Jones, of Tarbick, in 
Worcestershire ; and Malone suggests that he may have heard it 
from Richard Quiney (who died in 1656, at the age of 69) or from 
Thomas Quiney, Shakespeare's son-in-law (who lived till about 
1663, and who was 27 years old when the poet died), or from one 
of the Hathaways. 

ACT I 

Scene I. — i. As I remember, etc. We follow the folio here, as 
most of the editors do, though some have thought it necessary to 
mend the grammar by reading " upon this fashion : /ze bequeathed," 
etc. As here pointed, beqiteathed is a participle, and charged may 
be considered the same. 



lyo Notes [Act i 

2. Poor a. This transposition of the article is akin to that still 
allowed after how and so. In A. and C. v. 2. 236, we have " What 
poor an instrument." 

3. On his blessing. On is often so used in asseverations. Cf. 
T. of A. iii. 5. %*]: "On height of our displeasure." 

4. To breed =\.o bring up, educate; as in 10 and 107 below. Cf. 
our present use in well-bred, good breeding, etc. 

5. At school. That is, at the university. Cf. Ham.'\. 2. 113: 
"going back to school in Wittenberg." On goldenly, cf. Macb. i. 
7" ZZ '• " golden opinions." Profit = proficiency. Cf. the use of 
the verb in i Jlen. IV. iii. i. 166: — 

" Exceedingly well read, and profited 
In strange concealments," etc. 

8. Stays. Detains. Cf. i. 3. 66 below: "we stay'd her for your 
sake." 

12. Manage. The training of a horse (Fr. manege^. Cf. Rich. 

II. iii. 3. 179, etc. 

17. Countenance. Bearing, behaviour. Cf. i Hen. IV. \. i. 69: 
" By unkind usage, dangerous countenance." Seems = seems as if 
it wished. 

18. Hinds. Menials, servants; as in III. W. iii. 5. 99 and 
P. and J. i. 7. 73. Elsewhere the word = boor, peasant ; as in 
L. L. L. i. 2. 123, etc. 

19. Mines. Undermines, seeks to destroy. Cf. Ham. iii. 4. 148: 
" rank corruption, mining all within," etc. 

22. MtUiny. Rebel. S. also uses the form mutine, both verb 
and noun ; as in Ham. iii. 4. 2>2„ v. 2. 6, and K. John, ii. i. 378. 

28. What w,ake you here ? What do you here ? as in ii. 3. 4 and 
iii. 2. 217 below. The phrase is very common, and is quibbled upon 
in L. L. L. iv. 3, 190 fol. and in Rich. III. i. 3. 164 fol. 

32. Marry. Originally a mode of swearing by the Virgin ; but 
its derivation had come to be forgotten in the time of S. 

35. Be naught awhile. A petty oath, equivalent to a mischief 



Scene I] Notes 171 

on you. Many examples of the phrase might be quoted from 
writers of the time. 

38. What prodigal portion, etc. The allusion to the story of the 
prodigal (^Luke, xv.) is found several times in S. Cf. W. T. iv. 3. 
103 : " a motion of the Prodigal Son " (that is, a puppet-show, 
illustrating the story); and 2 Hen. IV. ii. i. 157: "the story of 
the Prodigal, or the German hunting in water-work" (where the 
context shows that it was used in tapestries and hangings). See 
also T. G. of V, ii. 3. 4, M. of V. ii. 6. 17, etc. 

43. Hi7?i. Often put, by attraction to whom understood, for he 
whom. Cf. A. and C. iii. i. 15 : "Acquire too high a fame when 
him we serve 's away," etc. 

44. In the gentle condition of blood. " On any kindly view of 
relationship." 

50. Your coming, etc. That is, you are more closely and di- 
rectly the representative of his honours, and therefore entitled to 
the respect due to him. Whiter thinks that Orlando uses reverence 
in an ironical sense, and means to say that " his brother, by coming 
before him, is nearer to a respectable and venerable elder of a fam- 
ily." This interpretation is perhaps favoured by Oliver's evident 
anger at his brother's words. 

52. What, boy ! Oliver attempts to strike him, and Orlando in 
return seizes his brother by the throat. 

54. Young. Raw, inexperienced. Cf. Lodge (p. 150): "I 
am yongest to performe any martial exploytes," etc. See also 
Macb. iii. 4. 144: "We are yet but young in deed." Too young 
is used in a contrary sense in Much Ado, v. i. 119. 

58. Villain. Oliver uses the word in the present sense ; Orlando, 
with a play upon this and the old meaning of serf or base-born fel- 
low. Cf. lear, iii. 7. 78, etc. The word was sometimes used as a 
familiar form of address, and even as a term of endearment ; as 
in C. of E. i. 2. 19, W. T. i. 2. 136, etc. In T. tV. ii. 5. 16 and 
T. and C. iii. 2, 35 it is applied to women in this sense. 

71. Such exercises, etc. Cf. T. G. of V. i. 3. 32 : — 



172 Notes [Act 1 

" And be in eye of every exercise 
Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth." 

72. AUotery. Allotment, portion. S. uses the word only here. 

73. Go buy. Go to buy ; a very common ellipsis with go in S. 
Cf. i. 2. 241 below. 

82. My teeth. For the use of the same figure in the reply to it, 
cf. M. of V. iii. 3. 6 : " Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a 
cause ; but, since I am a dog, beware my fangs." 

Z"}^. Spoke. S. uses both spoke and spoken as the participle. 

84. Grow upon me. Get the better of me, get the upper hand 
of me. Cf. y. C. ii. i. 107: "growing on the south" (that is, gain- 
ing on it, tending that way) ; Hen. V. iii. 3- 55 : " sickness grow- 
ing Upon our soldiers," etc. 

85. Physic your rankness. Check this rank growth of your in- 
solence. 

88. Wrestler. " Wrastler " in the folio here and elsewhere ; but 
the other spelling was also used in the time of S. The former indi- 
cates the pronunciation, which is still a vulgar one in this country. 

90. So please you. If it please you ; of which our " if you 
please" is a corruption. Cf. Sonn. 136. ii: "so it please thee," 
etc. 

102. Good leave. Full permission. Cf. M. of V. iii. 2. 326 and 
I Hen. IV. i. 3. 20. 

109. Died to stay behind. This " indefinite " use of the infinitive 
is very common in S. 

113. The forest of Arden. The Forest of Ardennes was in the 
northeast of France, " between the Meuse and the Moselle "; but it 
is not necessary to suppose that the poet had this fact in mind. He 
took the scene from Lodge's novel, lions and all, and did not trouble 
himself about its geography. Knight has well said : " We most 
heartily wish that the critics would allow poetry to have its own 
geography. We do not want to know that Bohemia has no sea- 
board ; we do 7iot wish to have the island of Sycorax defined on 
the map ; we do not require that our Forest of Arden should be 



Scene I] Notes 173 

the Arduenna Sylva of Caesar and Tacitus." There was also a 
Forest of Arden in Warwickshire. Drayton, in his Matilda, 1594, 
speaks of " sweet Arden's nightingales "; and again, in the Idea: — 

" Where nightingales in Arden sit and sing, 
Amongst the daintie dew-impearled flowers." 

114. A many. Cf. A. Y. L. i. i. 121, K. John, iv. 2. 199, etc. 
The expression is still occasionally used in poetry ; as by Tennyson 
in The Miller's Daughter : "They have not shed a many tears," 
etc. Merry Men was a common term for the followers of Robin 
Hood dind other outlaws. 

117. Fleet. Not elsewhere used transitively by S. The intran- 
sitive verb occurs often ; as in Sonn. ig. 5, M. of V. iii. 2. 108, iv. 
I. 135, K.John, ii. i. 285, etc. The golden worlds the golden age. 

119. What. Often so used, "superfluously introducing a ques- 
tion." Cf. J. C. iv. I. 10, Ham. \. i. ig, T. of S. iv. 3. 59, etc. 

126. Shall. Must, will have to. 

130. Withal. With this, with it. Cf. i. 2. 26 and ii. 7. 48 below. 

131. Intendment. Intention, purpose. Cf. Hen. V. i. 2. 144: 
" the main intendment of the Scot." 

138. By underhand means. By indirect means. 

139. It is. Used contemptuously; as in M. of V. iii. 3. 18 : "It 
is the most impenetrable cur;" and Hen. V. iii. 6. 71 : "Why, 't is 
a gull, a fool," etc. In Macb. i. 4. 58 (" It is a peerless kinsman ") 
the familiarity is affectionate. See also iii. 5. 112 below. 

141. Emulator. Used by S. only here. For emulation — envy, 
jealousy, cf. J. C. ii. 3. 14, etc. So emulous = envious; as in T. 
and C. ii. 3. 79, 242, etc. 

142. Contriver. Plotter; as in T. A. iv. i. 36, J. C. ii. i. 158, 
and Macb. iii. 5. 7. Contrive is used in the same bad sense; as in 
iv. 3. 134 below. Cf. Hen. V.'w. \. \']\, J. C. ii. 3. 16, Ham. iv. 7. 
136, etc. The adjective natural did not formerly imply, as now, 
illegitimacy. 

143. Had as lief. Good old English, but condemned by some 



174 Notes [Act I 

modern grammar-mongers because they cannot " parse " it. Lief'xs, 
the Anglo-Saxon leof, dear. The comparative liefer or lever and 
the superlative liefest are common in our early vi^riters. S. does not 
use liefer, but has liefest in 2 Hen. VI. iii. I. 164: "my liefest 
liege." Cf. Spenser, F, Q. iii. 2. 33 : *' my liefest liefe " (my dearest 
love). Lief at first = dear, beloved, pleasing, came to mean 
willing. From this the transition is easy to the adverbial use = 
willingly, as in had as lief = would as willingly. The forms liefsind 
lieve are used interchangeably in the folios. The latter is not un- 
known in good writers of recent date. Matzner quotes Sheridan : 
" I had as lieve be shot." 

144. Thou wert best. Another old English idiom, now obsolete. 
Cf. y. C. iii. 3. 12: "Ay, and truly, you were best," etc. The pro- 
noun was originally a dative {to you it were best), but came to be 
regarded as a nominative; as in if you please = if it please you (see 
on 90 above). 

147. Practise. Use stratagems, plot. Cf. 2 Hen. VI. ii. i. 171 : 
"Have practis'd dangerously against your state." Elsewhere it is 
followed by on or up07i ; as in Much Ado, ii. I. 398, Lear, iii. 2. 57, 
0th. ii. I. 319, etc. 

152. Brotherly. An adverb, as in the only other instances of the 
word in S. : 3 Hen. VI. iv. 3. 38, and Cymb. iv. 2. 158. 

153. Anatomize. Used literally (= dissect) in Lear, iii. 6. 80; 
figuratively (as here and in ii. 7. 56 below) in R. of L. 1450,^. W. 
iv- 3- 37> etc. 

160. Gamester. A frolicsome fellow; as in T. of S. ii, i. 402 
and Hen. VIII. i. 4. 45. It is here used contemptuously, and per- 
haps with some reference to Orlando's ambition to try his luck in 
the wrestling. It means a gambler in L. L. L. i. 2. 44, Hen. V. iii. 
6. 119, etc.; and a harlot in A. W. v. 3. 188 and Per. iv. 6. 81. 

162. Than he. S. often confounds the inflections of the per- 
sonal and other pronouns. Cf. lines 1 7 and 268 of the next scene. 

163. Full of noble device. Of noble conceptions and aims. S. 
often makes his villains (like lago, Edmund, Macbeth, Antonio in 



Scene II] Notes 175 

The Tempest, and others) pay an honest tribute to the men against 
whom they are plotting. 

164. Sorts. Ranks, classes; as often. 

166. Misprised. Undervalued, slighted. Cf. i. 2. 181 below, and 
A. W. iii. 2. 33; also the noun misprision in A. W. ii, 3. 159. 

168. Kindle. Incite. Cf. enkindle in Macb. i. 3. 121. Thither 
= thereto. On go about = set about, undertake, cf. Much Ado, i. 
3. II, M. for M. iii. 2. 215, Heit. V. iv. i. 212, etc. See also 
Romans, x. 3, etc. 

Scene II. — The name of Rosalind, here taken by S. from Lodge, 
was a favourite one with our early poets. Rosaline (in L. L. Z.) is 
another form of it. 

I. Sweet my coz. Cf. y. C. ii. i. 25 : " dear my lord," etc. Coz 
was the common abbreviation of cousin. 

4. Yet I were merrier, I were yet merrier. Yet and only are 
often thus transposed by Elizabethan writers. Cf. Hen. VIII. ii. 4. 
204 : " full sick, and yet not well ; " which, as it stands, is nonsen- 
sical. 

6. Learn. Teach; but always with the object expressed. Cf. 
R. and J. iii. 2. 12: "learn me how to love;" Cymb. i. 5. 12: 
" learn'd me how to make perfumes," etc. 

10. So. For so = if, cf. i. i. 90 above. 

13. Tempered. Conditioned. Cf. T. and C. ii. 3. 265: — 

" were your days 
As green as Ajax', and your brain so temper'd," etc. 

18. Nor noite. For the double negative, so common in S,, cf. 23 
below. The confusion of I and /ne is common, like that of the in- 
flections of other pronouns. See in i. I. 162 above. Like = likely, 
as very often in S. Cf. iv. i. 65 below. 

20. Perforce. Here = by force; as in C. of E. iv. 3. 95, Rich. II. 
ii. 3. 121, M. N. D. ii. i. 26, etc. Elsewhere it is = of necessity; 
as in M. N. D. iii. 2. 90, Hen. V. v. 2. 161, etc. Render — give 



176 



Notes [Act I 



back. Cf. ii. 5. 28 below; also M. of V. iv. i. 383, Hen. V. ii. 4. 
127, etc. 

26. Withal. See on i. i. 130 above. 

28. A pure blush. A blush that has no shame in it. Come off 
— get off, escape; as in Jlf. of V.\. i. 128, Cor. ii. 2. 116, etc. 

31. The good housewife Fortune, etc. Cf. A. and C. iv. 15. 44: 
" That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel." There, as in 
Hen. V. V. i. 85 (*' Doth Fortune play the huswife with me now ? "), 
housewife or huswife (the latter is the usual spelling in the folio) is 
used contemptuously. Cf. Ham. ii. 2. 515. Fortune is represented 
with a wheel, as Fluelen explains {Hen. V. iii. 6. 35), "to signify to 
you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning, and inconstant, 
and mutability, and variation." 

38. Honest. Chaste, virtuous; as in iii. 3. 17. Cf. M. W. iv. 2. 
107, 136, etc. 

39. Ill-favour edly. Ill-favoured, ugly. Cf. iii. 5. 53: "ill-favour'd 
children." Adverbs are often used as adjectives. For favour = 
face, cf. Genesis, xxix, 17, xxxix. 6, xli. 2, 3, 4, etc. 

43. When Nature, etc. " True that fortune does not make fair 
features ; but she can mar them by some accident. So nature 
makes us able to philosophize, chance spoils our grave philosophy 
by sending us a fool " (Moberly). 

48. Natural. Fool, idiot. Cf. Temp. iii. 2. 37 and R. and J. 
ii. 4. 96. 

51. Who, perceiving, etc. Or, perhaps, Nature thinks us so dull 
that she sends us her " natural " to sharpen our wits. 

52. To reason of. To talk about, discuss. 

54. Whetstone of the wits. The title of Robert Recorde's Arith- 
metic is " The Whetstone of Witte." 

Wit! whither wander you ? "Wit, whither wilt ?" (iv. I. 161) 
was a proverbial saying ; perhaps the beginning of an old ballad. 

64. Naught. Worthless, bad. Cf. Much Ado, v. I. 157: "the 
which if I do not carve most curiously, say my knife 's naught ; " 
Hen. V. i. 2. 73 : " corrupt and naught," etc. The word in this 



Scene II] Notes 177 

sense is usually spelled naught in the early eds., but nought when 
it means nothing. 

66. And yet was not the knight forsworn. Boswell quotes the 
old play of Damon and Pithias : — 

" I haue taken a wise othe on him : have I not, trow ye, 
To trust such a false knave upon his honestie ? 

As he is an honest man (quoth you ?) he may bewray all to the kinge, 
And breke his oth for this never a whit." 

Cf. Rich. III. iv. 4. 366-387. 

81. Old Frederick. The reading of the folios, which, however, 
assign the folio wing, speech to Rosalind. As Frederick was Celia's 
father (v. 4. 154), some editors have changed Frederick to "Fer- 
dinand"; others have given, as I do, the next speech to Celia. 
The latter seems the simpler way out of the difficulty ; and such 
errors in the names of characters are by no meaiis rare in the 
early eds. 

85. Taxation. Satire, invective. Cf. tax = accuse, inveigh 
against, in ii. 7. 71, 86 below ; also in Much Ado, i. i. 46, T. and C. 
i. 3. 97, Ham. i. 4. 18, etc. We still speak of " taxing a person 
with " anything. Whipping was the usual punishment of fools. 

87. Wise men is printed as one word in the folio, like wise man 
in V. I. 35 and elsewhere. It was accented on the first syllable, as 
madman is now. 

88. By my troth. The most common form of the petty oath of 
which d' my troth ! in troth ! good troth ! and the simple troth ! are 
variations. For troth in its original sense (= truth), cf. M. N. D. 
ii. 2. 36: "to speak troth," etc. 

89. Was silenced. There may be here an allusion to some 
recent restriction upon the players. 

93. Put on us. Inflict on us, or force upon us. Cf. M. for M. 
ii. 2. 133, T. N.v. I. 70, Ha7n. i. 3. 94, etc. 

loi. Sport! of what colour? Probably Celia is ridiculing Le 
Beau's affected pronunciation of the word, which suggests spot. 
AS YOU LIKE IT — 12 



178 Notes [Act I 

106. Laid on with a troiuel. This was no doubt a proverbial 
hit at clumsy or gross flattery. Cf. lay it on — to do anything to 
excess, to be lavish in expense, to flatter extravagantly, etc. See 
W. T. iv. 3. 41, etc. To lay it on thick is still a colloquial ex- 
pression. 

107. Rank. There is a similar play upon the word in Cymb. 
ii. I. 17. 

109. Amaze. Confuse, put me in a maze. Cf. V. and A. 684: 
"a labyrinth to amaze his foes;" K. John, iv. 3. 140: "I am 
amaz'd, methinks, and lose my way;" M. for M. iv. 2. 224: "Yet 
you are amazed ; but this shall absolutely resolve you," etc. 

115. To do. A common idiomatic use of the infinitive active. 
Cf. T. N. iii. 2. 18. : " What 's to do ? " etc. It is still in good use 
in many phrases; as "a house to let," for which some over- 
fastidious folk think it necessary to substitute " to be let." 

118. Comes. The singular verb is often found before two 
singular subjects as well as before a plural subject; and here we 
have a combination of the two cases. 

121. Proper. Comely, good-looking; as often. Cf. Hebrews^ 
xi. 23. 

123. With bills on their necks. The bill was " a kind of pike or 
halberd, formerly carried by the English infantry, and afterwards 
the usual weapon of watchmen." It was also used by foresters. 
Lodge describes Rosader " with his forrest bill on his necke," that 
is on his shoulder. For the play upon bill, cf. Much Ado, iii, 3. 191 
and 2 Hen. VI. iv. 7. 135. There is also a pun on presence and 
presents. 

127. That = so \h2l ; as often. 

130. Dole. Grief. Cf. M. N. D. y. i. 283 : "What dreadful 
dole is here ! " Hajn. i. 2. 13 : " delight and dole," etc. 

141. Broken mtisic. Chappell (^Popular Music, etc.) says: 
" Some instruments, such as viols, violins, flutes, etc., were formerly 
made in sets of four, which when played together formed a ' con- 
sort.' If one or more of the instruments of one set were substituted 



Scene II] Notes 179 

for the corresponding ones of another set, the result was no longer 
a 'consort,' but 'broken music' " P^or the play upon the expression, 
cf. Hen. V. v. 2. 263 and T. and C. iii. I. 52. The use of see here 
has troubled some of the critics, and changes have been suggested; 
but, though Rosalind speaks of "broken music," she has in mind 
the wrestling. 

153. Looks successfully. Looks as if he would be successful. 
Cf. Hen. V. iv. prol. 39: "But freshly looks;" Teffip. iii. i. 32: 
"You look wearily; " Rick. III. i. 4. I : "Why looks your grace 
so heavily to-day ? " etc. See also on 39 above. 

156. Are you C7'ept? Have you crept ? Be and have are 
both used with the perfect tense of certain intransitive verbs, mostly 
of motion. 

157. So please you. See on i. i. 90 above. 

165. The princess calls. The them in Orlando's reply suggests 
\}a.2X princess is plural (as horse, sense, balance, and other words end- 
ing in a sibilant sometimes are) and that calls is a misprint for call. 

175. Your eyes, etc. The meaning, as Johnson notes, is "if 
you could use your own eyes to see., or your own judgment to know 
yourself, the fear of your adventure would counsel you." 

181. Misprised. See on i, I, 166. 

182. Might. May; an irregular sequence of tenses. 

187. Wherein. Apparently used, as other relative words some- 
times are, before the antecedent clause : Punish me not with your 
hard thoughts for denying you anything; wherein (in doing which) 
I confess myself much guilty. The reflexive use of me (as of other 
personal pronouns) is common. 

188. Gracious. Favoured, acceptable. Cf. T.A.'x. i. ii (cf. 
170 and 429) : " gracious in the eyes of Rome ; " 3 Hen. VI. iii. 
3. 117 : "gracious in the people's eye." 

191. Only, etc. That is, I only fill up, etc. Cf. Macb. iii. 6. 2 : 
"Only I say; " /. C. v. 4. 12 : "Only I yield to die," etc. 

203. Working. S. often uses the word of mental operations. 
Cf. Soitn. 93. II, M.for M. ii. i. 10, L, L. L. iv. i. ■^^-^t etc. 



1 80 Notes [Act I 

209. Come your ways. Cf. ii. 3. 66 and iv. i. 179 below. 

210. Speed. Patron, protector. Qi. Hen. Kv. 2. 194: "Saint 
Dennis be my speed!" R. and J. v. 3. 121 : "Saint Francis be 
my speed ! " etc. The word often means good fortune, success ; 
as in T. of S. ii. i. 139, W. T. iii. 2. 146, etc. So the verb often = 
succeed; as in A. W. iii. 7. 44, T. G. of V. iv. 4. 112, etc. It is 
also used in wishing success; as in M. N. D.\. i. 180 : " God speed 
fair Helena ! " etc. See also Genesis, xxiv. 12 and 2 John, 10, ii. 

215. Should down. A common ellipsis in S. 

218. Well-breathed. In full breath, well started. Cf. T. of S. 
ind. 2. 50: "as swift As breathed stags;" A. and C. iii. 13. 178: 
"I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd;" L.L.L.w. 2. 659: 

" A man so breath'd that certain he would fight ; yea, 
From morn till night." 

227. Still. Constantly; as very often. Cf. iii. 2. 51 below. 

228. Shouldst. We should say " wouldst." 

234. Calling. "Appellation; a very unusual, if not unprece- 
dented sense of the word" (Steevens). Elsewhere S. uses it in 
the modern sense, but (with the exception of Per. iv. 2. 43, which 
may not be his) only of the ecclesiastical profession. 

239. Unto. In addition to. Cf. Rich. II. v. 3. 97 : " Unto my 
mother's prayers I bend my knee." 

242. Envious. Malicious ; the usual meaning in S. So envy 
more commonly = malice, spite, hate. 

243. At heart. To the heart. Cf. T. and C. iii. 2. 202. 
245. But justly as. Just as, exactly as. 

247. This. A chain: as appears from iii. 2. 1 79. Out of suits, 
etc. = " turned out of the service of Fortune and stripped of her 
livery" (Steevens), or "out of her books or graces" (Johnson). 

248. Could. Could with a good will, would gladly. Cf. A. and 
C. i. 2. 131 : "The hand could pluck her back that shov'd her on." 

250. My better parts. Caldecott quotes yT/rt<r(5. v. 8. 18: "For it 
hath cow'd my better part of man." 



Scene II] Notes l8l 

252. A quintain. That is, a mere wooden image of a man. The 
qttintain, in its simplest form, was an upright post, with a cross-bar 
turning on a pivot at the top. At one end of this bar was a broad 
target, at the other a heavy sand-bag. The sport was to ride at full 
speed at the target, hit it with a lance, and get out of the way before 
the sand-bag should swing round and strike the filter on the back. 
The figure of a Saracen, with a shield on his left arm, and a drawn 
sabre in his right hand, sometimes took the place of the post with 
its cross-bar. Running at the quintain is said to have been a fa- 
vourite sport at country weddings in Oxfordshire as late as the end 
of the seventeenth century. 

255. You have iprestled well, etc. As Lady Martin remarks, 
" this is very significant, and speaks plainly enough, though spoken 
as it would be with great reserve of manner, of the favourable im- 
pression which the young wrestler has made upon her. We may 
be sure that but for his modest demeanour, Rosalind would not have 
allowed herself to confess so much." Cf. what Celia says in iii. 2. 
207 : " It is young Orlando that tripped up the wrestler's heels and 
your heart both in an instant." 

257. Have with you. I'll go with you; a common idiom. Cf. 
M. IV. ii. I. 161, 229, 239, iii. 2. 93, L. L. L. iv. 2. 151, Cor. ii. 
I. 286, etc. 

259. Conferejice. Conversation; as often. Cf. Much Ado, ii. 3. 
229 : " the conference was sadly borne," etc. 

265. Condition. Temper, disposition. Cf. M. of V. i. 2. 143: 
" the condition of a saint," etc. The word is here a quadrisyllable. 

266. Misconstrues. The folio has " misconsters," the old spell- 
ing of the word. So construe was spelled and pronounced 
" conster." 

267. Humorous. " Wayward, headstrong, obstinate " (Furness). 
Cf. ii. 3. 8 and iv. i. 19 below. It is sometimes = capricious, as in 
K.John, iii. I. 119: "her humorous ladyship" [Fortune], etc. 

268. /. See on i. i. 162 above, and cf. iii. 2. 151 below. 

273. Smaller. The folio has "taller"; but cf. i. 3. 114 and iv. 



1 82 Notes [Act I 

3. 87 below. I adopt Malone's emendation, as nearest to the 
old text. Cf. Greene, James IV. : " my small son." " Shorter," 
"lower," and "lesser " are other modern readings. 

280. Argument. Cause, reason. Cf. iii. i. 3 below; also ^. IV. 
ii. 2. 256, T. N. iii. 3. 12, Rich. III. i. i. 148, etc. 

283. On my life. A common oath. Cf. M. W. v. 5. 200, W. T. 
V. I. 43, etc. So (9' my life {M. W. i. i. 40), by my life (iv. i. 153 
and V. 2. 68 below), etc. 

285. In a better world. In better times. Cf. Rich. II. iv. I. 78 : 
" in this new world " (this new state of things) ; T. and C. iii. 2. 
180: "in the world to come" (in coming time, in future genera- 
tions), etc. 

287. Rest. Remain. Cf. M of V. i. i. 152: "rest debtor;" 
W. T. iii. 3. 49 : " still rest thine," etc. See also iii. 2. 69 below. 
On bounden, cf. IC. John, iii. 3. 29. Elsewhere S. has bound for the 
participle. 

288. From the S7noke, etc. That is, from bad to worse. Smother = 
thick and suffocating smoke. 

Scene III. — 11. My child's father. That is, him whom I hope 
to marry. Rowe (2d ed.) changed it to "my father's child,". which 
is approved by several editors and critics. But, as Moberly remarks, 
" S. would have smiled at the emendation." The original reading 
would undoubtedly be indelicate now, but it was not considered so 
in the poet's day. Besides, the change is inconsistent with the con- 
duct of the dialogue, in which Rosalind is represented as constantly 
thinking and speaking of her lover. We must bear in mind that 
she is talking with Celia. 

12. This working-day world. This every-day life of ours. Cf. 
A. and C. i. 2. 55 : " but a worky-day fortune." 

18. Hem them away. Cough them away; as if the "burs" were 
in her throat. In cry hem and have him, there is perhaps a play 
on hem and him. 

27. On such a sudden. Not elsewhere used by S. On the sudden 



Scene III] Notes 1 83 

seems to be his favourite phrase, but he uses also on a sudden and 
of a sudden. With = for. 

32. Chase. That is, follozving the argument ; alluding possibly, 
as some think, to the deer, quibbling on the word dearly. For a 
play on dear and deer, see V. and A. 231, M. IV. v. 5. 18, 123, 
L. L. L. iv. I. 115, T. of S. V. 2. 56, i Hen. IV. v. 4. 107, etc. 

ifl. Dearly. Heartily. Cf. Ham. iv. 3. 43 : " as v^^e dearly 
grieve," etc. The word, like dear, is used of any intense feeling. 
Cf. Ham. i. 2. 182: "My dearest foe," etc. 

36. Deserve well. Deserve zVwell; that is, to be hated. Rosa- 
lind purposely misinterprets the phrase. Malone explains it thus : 
" Celia answers Rosalind, who had desired her not to hate Orlando, 
as if she had said love him." 

40. Safest haste. " The haste which is your best safety " (Mo- 
berly) . It is an instance of prolepsis, or the anticipation in an ad- 
jective of the result of the action expressed or implied in the noun. 
Cf. Macb. i. 6. 3, iii. 4. 76, etc. 

41. Cousin. Niece; as in T. N. i. 3. 5, T. and C. i. 2. 44, etc. 
Elsewheire S. uses it for nephew, uncle, brother-in-law, and grand- 
child ; also as a mere complimentary form of address between 
princes, etc. 

42. If that. For that as " a conjunctional affix " (used with and, 
but, lest, zvhen, since, etc.), cf. 48, just below, and ii. 7. 73, iii. 5. 
93, and iv. 3. 116. 

46. If with myself, etc. If I know my own mind. 

52. Purgation. Exculpation. Cf. Ilett. VIII. v. 3. 152: *'and 
fair purgation," etc. See also v. 4. 44 below. 

62. My father was no traitor. '* Rosalind's brave spirit will not 
allow her to defend herself at her father's expense, or to separate 
her cause from his. There are few passages in S. more instinctively 
true and noble than this. She had not offended her uncle, even in 
thought, though every one else was doing so; but the least sugges- 
tion that her father is a traitor rouses her in arms to defend him " 
(Moberly). 



1 84 Notes [Act I 

63. Good my liege. See on i. 2. i above. 

64. To think. As to think. My poverty = one so poor as I. 
66. Stafd. See on i. i. 8 above. 

69. Realtor se. Pity, compassion. Cf. il/. o/" V. iv. i. 20: "mercy 
and remorse ; " K. John, iii. 4. 50 : " tears of soft remorse," etc. 
The only meaning of remorseful in S. is compassionate, and of re- 
morseless (as in our day) pitiless. 

70. That time. At that time. 

72. Still. See on i. 2. 227 above. 

73. At an instant. At the same instant. S. uses both eat and 
eaten for the participle, but eat regularly for the past tense. 

74. Juno's swans. Pier chariot was drawn by peacocks, as S. 
himself makes it in Te7?ip. iv. i. 73. S. forgot or confused the an- 
cient fables for the moment. 

77. Patience. A trisyllable here. 

80. Show. Appear; as often in S. Cf. V. and A. 366: 
" Show'd like two silver doves ;" R. of L. ded. 5 : " my duty would 
show greater ;" M. of V. iv. I. 196 : " doth then show likest God's," 
etc. Virtuous = gifted with virtues, or good qualities generally. 

86. Provide yourself. Prepare yourself, get ready to go. Cf. 
Ham. iii. 3. 7 : " We will ourselves provide," etc. 

95. No, hath not? This seems to be a mere repetition of what 
Rosalind has said, rather than (as some make it) an instance like 
No had? No did? No will ? etc. (equivalent to Had he not? Did 
he not ? etc.). 

96. Which teacheth thee, etc. " Which ought to teach you as it 
has already taught me" (Moberly). Theobald changed thee to 
•' me " and am to " are "; but the sense does not require the former 
change, nor the grammar — that is, Elizabethan grammar — the 
latter one. Even the learned Ben Jonson could write ( The Fox, 
ii. i) " both it and I am at your service," and (^Cynthia's Revels, i. i) 
" My thoughts and I am for this other element, water," 

103. For, by this heaven, etc. " By this heaven, or the light of 
heaven, with its lustre faded in sympathy with our feelings" 



Scene III] Notes 185 

(Caldecott). The scene (which is on the same day as the preceding 
one) is apparently towards evening. 

106. To seek my uncle, etc. Campbell remarks: "Before I say 
more of this dramatic treasure, I must absolve myself by a confession 
as to some of its improbabilities. Rosalind asks her cousin Celia, 
' Whither shall we go ? ' and Celia answers, ' To seek my uncle in 
the forest of Arden.' But, arrived there, and having purchased a 
cottage and sheep-farm, neither the daughter nor niece of the 
banished Duke seem to trouble themselves much to inquire 
about either father or uncle. The lively and natural-hearted 
Rosalind discovers no impatience to embrace her sire until she has 
finished her masked courtship with Orlando. But Rosalind was in 
love, as I have been with the comedy these forty years ; and love 
is blind — for until a late period my eyes were never couched so 
as to see this objection. The truth, however, is, that love is wilfully 
blind ; and now that my eyes are opened, I shut them against the 
fault. Away with your best-proved improbabilities, when the heart 
has been touched and the fancy fascinated ! " 

109. Beauty provoketh thieves, etc. Cf. Milton, Comus, 393 : — 

"But Beauty, like the fair Hesperian tree, 
Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard 
Of dragon watch with unenchanted eye, 
To save her blossoms and defend her fruit," etc. 

113. Stir. Excite, rouse. Cf. W. T. v. 3. 74 : "I am sorry I 
have thus far stirred you," etc. 

114. Because that. See on 42 above. Cci/zz/^ow is the adjective 
used adverbially; as adjectives often are by S. 

115. Suit me all points. Dress myself in all respects. For the 
pronoun, see on i, 2. 187 above. 

116. Curtle-axe. Cutlass. It is the Fr. coutelas which from 
the form courtelas became corrupted into curtlass, curtlaxe, and 
curtle-axe. These are but a few of the old spellings, but will serve 
to show how a sword was gradually turned into an " axe. " Spenser 



1 86 Notes [Act II 

(^F. Q. iv. 2. 42) calls it " curtaxe." Cutlash and cutlace were later 
forms. 

119. Swashing. Swaggering, blustering. Qi. swasher =.\>x2.gg2x\., 
bully, in Hen. V. iii. 2. 30. Swashbuckler was used in the same 
sense. 

120. Mannish. Cf. Cymb. iv. 2. 236: "though now our voices 
Have got the mannish crack; " and T. andC. iii. 3. 217; "A woman 
impudent and mannish grown." 

121. Outface it. Face it out. Cf. Much Ado, v. i. 94 ; 
" Scambling, outfacing, fashion-monging boys." 

127. No longer Celia, but Aliena. An eleven-syllable line. Celia 
is a trisyllable, as in 66 above, and Aliena accented on the penult, as 
it ought to be. 

128. Assay d. Tried, attempted. Cf. 0th. \\. 3. 207: "Assays 
to lead the way," etc. 

132. Woo. Solicit, gain over. Cf. i^iV^. //. i. 4. 28 : " Wooing 
poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles ; " T. and C. iii. I. 162: 
" I must woo you To help unarm our Hector," etc. 

136. Go we in content. The reading of the later folios; the 
first has " in we." Content is a noun, as in iii. 2. 25 below. 



ACT II 



Scene I. — i. Exile. Accented on the last syllable, as in R. 
and J. iii. 3. 20, 140 (but exile 13 and 43), v. 3. 211, etc. S. also 
uses the verb with both accents. 

2. Old custom. Continued habit. 

5. Here feel we not, etc. This is the reading of the folios, but 
many editors read " feel we but." Knight thus defends the old text : 
" We ask, what is ' the penalty of Adam ' ? All the commentators 
say, 'the seasons' difference.' On the contrary, it was, *In the 



Scene I] Notes 187 

sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.' Milton represents the 
repentant Adam as thus interpreting the penalty : — 

' On me the curse aslope 
Glanced on the ground ; with labour I must earn 
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse.' 

' The seasons' difference,' it must be remembered, was ordained before 
the fall and was in no respect a penalty. We may therefore reject 
the received interpretation. But how could the Duke say, receiv- 
ing the passage in the sense we have suggested, ' Here feel we not 
the penalty of Adam'? In the first act, Charles the Wrestler, 
describing the Duke and his comates, says, they 'fleet the time 
carelessly as they did in the golden world.^ One of the character- 
istics of the golden world is thus described by Daniel : — 

' Oh ! happy golden age ! 

Not for that rivers ran 
With streams of milk and honey dropp'd from trees ; 

Not that the earth did gage 

Unto the husbandman 
Her voluntary fruits, free without fees.' 

The song of Amiens in the fifth scene of this act, conveys, we think, 
the same allusion : — 

' Who doth ambition shun, 
An'd loves to live i' the sun. 
Seeking the food he eats, 
And pleas' d with what he gets' 

The exiled courtiers led a life without toil — a life in which they 
were contented with a little — and they were thus exempt from the 
' penalty of Adam.' We close, therefore, the sentence at ' Adam.' 
* The seasons' difference ' is now the antecedent of ' these are coun- 
sellors '; the freedom of construction common to Shakespeare and 
the poets of his time fully warranting this acceptation of the read- 
ing. In this way, the Duke says, ' The differences of the seasons 



1 88 Notes [Act 11 

are counsellors that teach me what I am; as, for example, the win- 
ter's wind — which, when it blows upon my body, I smile and say, 
this is no flattery.' " 

6. As. As for instance, namely. Cf. iv. 3. 141 below. See also 
Macb. V. 3. 25, etc. 

8. Which. As to which. 

13. Like the toad, etc. Cf. 3 Hen. VI. ii. 2. 138 : " venom toads; " 
Rich. III. i. 2. 148: "Never hung poison on a fouler toad," etc. 
Better naturalists than S. believed in the toad-stone^ the " precious 
jewel " of the text. Fenton, in his Secrete Wonders of Nature, 1569, 
says that " there is founde in the heades of old and great toades, a 
stone which they call Borax or Stelon : it is most commonly founde 
in the head of a hee toad, of power to repulse poysons, and that it 
is a most soveraigne medicine for the stone." Its virtues are also 
set forth in Lupton's Thousatid Notable Things, 1586, in Topsell's 
History of Serpents, 1608, and by other learned writers of the time. 
Allusions to it are frequent in the literature of that day. Meres, in 
\a% Palladis Taenia, S2,ys : "As the foule toad hath a faire stone 
in his head; the fine golde is founde in the filthie earth; the sweete 
kernell lyeth in the harde shell," etc. Lyly, in his Euphues, also 
says that " the foule toad hath a faire stone in his head," etc. 

18. / tuould not change it. The folios make these words the 
beginning of the next speech, but I think that Upton, Dyce, and 
others are right in transferring them to the Duke. 

21. Go and kill us. See on i. i. 73; and for us on i. 2. 187. 

22. Irks me. Cf. i Hen. VI. i. 4. 105 : "it irks his heart;" and 
3 Hen. VI. ii. 2. 6 : " it irks my very soul." S. uses the word only 
three times. Irksome occurs in iii. 5. 94 below. 

Fool is sometimes used as " a term of endearment or pity." Cf. 
W. T. ii. I. 18: "Do not weep, poor fools; " 3 Hen. VI. ii. 5. 36: 
" So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean," etc. Halliwell- 
Phillipps quotes a poem by Harington, addressed to his wife : — 

" Thus then I doe rejoice in that thou grievest, 
And yet, sweet foole, I love thee, thou beleevest." 



Scene I] Notes 189 

23. Burghers. Citizens. Cf. M. of V.\. i. 10: "Like signiors 
and rich burghers on the flood." In Sidney's Arcadia deer are 
called " the wild burgesses of the forest "; and in Drayton's Polyol- 
bion the hart is " a burgess of the wood." 

24. Confines. For the accent, cf. Sonn. 83. 4 : "In whose con- 
fine immured is the store," etc. S. oftener accents it on the first 
syllable; as in J. C. iii. i. 272: "Shall in these confines with a 
monarch's voice," etc. Tla.& forked heads are those of arrows. As- 
cham (^Toxophihis') uses the same words in describing arrows. 

26. y agues. A dissyllable, as always in S. Cf. A. W. iii. 4. 4 : 
" I am Saint Jaques' pilgrim, thither gone; " Id. iii. 5. 98: "There's 
four or five to great Saint Jaques bound," etc. 

27. In that kind. In that way. Cf.^^2/£-/^ .^^(?, ii. i. 70: "if the 
prince do solicit you in that kind," etc. 

30. lay along. Lay at full length. Cf. J. C. iii. i . 15: " That 
now on Pompey's basis lies along," etc. See also iii. 2. 236 
below. 

"Shakespeare," said Coleridge, "never gives a description of 
rustic scenery merely for its own sake, or to show how well he can 
paint natural objects : he is never tedious or elaborate; but while 
he now and then displays marvellous accuracy and minuteness of 
knowledge, he usually only touches upon the larger features and 
broader characteristics, leaving the fillings up to the imagina- 
tion. Thus, in As You Like It, he describes an oak of many centu- 
ries' growth in a single line : ' Under an oak, whose antique root 
peeps out.' Other and inferior writers would have dwelt on this 
description, and worked it out with all the pettiness and imperti- 
nence of detail. In Shakespeare the * antique ' root furnishes the 
whole picture." 

31. Antique, Spelt critique or antick in the early eds. without 
regard to the meaning, but always accented on the first syllable. 

2,2^. Sequester'' d. Separated from his companions. Cf. T. A. ii. 
3. 75 : " Why are you sequester'd from all your train ? " There the 
accent is on the first syllable, as in the noun in 0th. iii. 4. 40 : "A 



190 Notes [Act II 

sequester from liberty, fasting, and prayer." In T. and C. iii. 3. 8, 
it is accented as in the text. 

36. The wretched animal, etc. In a marginal note to a similar 
passage in Drayton's Polyolbio7i, it is said that " the harte weepeth 
at his dying : his tears are held to be precious in medicine." We 
find the same idea in Batman, Sidney, and other writers of the 
time. 

39. Cours'd. Chased. Cf. Macb. i. 6. 21 : " We cours'd him at 
the heels," etc. 

42. The exiremest verge. The very edge. S. accents extreme on 
the first syllable, except in Sonn. 129. 4. 10. .Exiremest, which he 
uses often, has the modern accent. Cf. M. of V.\. i. 138, Rich. II. 
iv. I. 47, etc. 

44. Moralize. Moralize upon, draw a moral from. Cf. T. of S. 
iv. 4. 81 : "I pray thee, moralize them," etc. 

46. Needless. Not needing it. Cf. careless = uncared for (^Macb. 
i. 4. 11), sightless = unseen (Alacb. i. 7. 23), etc. 

49. Being there. As to his being there. The line is an Alexan- 
drine. 

50. Of. By ; as often. F.?/^^^/ = " soft, delicate " (Schmidt). 
52. Flux. Flow, confluence. S. uses the word only here and 

in iii. 2. 66 below. 

59. The body. The whole system. 

62. Up. Often used, as now, to " impart to verbs the sense of 
completion " (Schmidt). Cf. " dries up " ( V. and A. 756), " burnt 
up" (^Temp. iii. I. 17), "mould up" {Hen. VIII. v. 5. 27), "poi- 
sons up" (Z. L. L. iv. 3. 305), etc. See also Robinson's transla- 
tion of More's Utopia : " olde age kylleth them vp." 

67. Cope. Encounter. Cf. Hen. VIII. i. 2. 78 : " to cope ma- 
licious censurers ; " V. and A. 888 : "who shall cope him first?" 
etc. 

68. Matter. Good sense. Cf. Much Ado, ii. i. 344 : "all mirth 
and no matter ; " Ham. ii. 2. 95 : " more matter with less art," 
etc. See also material in iii. 3. 32 below. 



Scene III] Notes 191 

Scene II. — 3. Are of consent and sufferance. That is, have 
connived at it and allowed it. 

7. Untreasur'' d. Used by S. only here ; and ^'r^^jwr^ (= enrich) 
only in Sonn. 6. 3. 

8. Roynish. Scurvy, mean (Fr. rogneux^. Cf. ronyon {Macb. 
i. 3. 6 and M. W. iv. 2. 195), which has the same origin. 

13. Farts. Gifts, qualities ; as in i. I. 141 above. Cf. L. L. L. 
iv. 2. 118: "I thy parts admire," etc. 6'r(2(:^j = attractions. Cf. 
Sonn. 103. 12: "your graces and your gifts." Wrestler is here 
a trisyllable. 

19. Suddenly. Quickly. Cf. M. TV. iv. i. 6: "Mistress Ford 
desires you to come suddenly." See also ii. 4. 100 below. 

20. Inquisition. Inquiry; as in the only other instance of the 
word in S. (^Temp. i. 2. 35). Quail := flag, slacken. 

Scene III. — 3. Memory. Memorial, reminder. Cf. Cor. iv. 5. 

77: — 

" a good memory 

And witness of the malice and displeasure 

Which thou shouldst bear me." 

4. What make you here ? Cf. i. I. 28 and iii. 2. 217. 

7. So fond, etc. So foolish as. Cf. AI. of V. iii. 3. 9: — 

" I do wonder, 
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond 
To come abroad with him at his request." 

8. The bonny priser. The gallant prize-fighter. Th^ New Eng- 
lish Diet, defines it in this and another passage, as " big, strong." 
The first folio has it " bonnie," the later folios " bonny." Some 
editors change it to "bony" ( = big-boned, sturdy), but S. does not 
use the word elsewhere, and it is doubtful whether it had that sense 
in his day. He has bonny several times = blithe, and once (2 Hejt. 

VI. V. 2. 12: "the bonny beast he lov'd so well") with quite the 
same force as here. Priser, or prizer, he uses only here and in 



192 Notes [Act II 

T. and C. ii. 2. 56, where it is = appraiser. For humorous see on 
i. 2. 267. 

12. No more do yours. A peculiar kind of " double negative "; 
like V. and A. 478 : " To mend the hurt that his unkindness 
marr'd " (where marr''d — we should say made — duplicates the 
idea in hurf) ; M. of V. iv. I. 162 : " Let his lack of years be no 
impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation " (either — no 
motive to let him lack, or = no impediment to let him have) ; 
Cymb. i. 4. 23 : "a beggar without less quality " ( = " with less," or 
" without more," both of which have been proposed as emenda- 
tions), etc. In the present passage but as enemies = nothing else 
than enemies, and JVo more do yours is an emphatic reiteration of 
the implied negative. 

15. Efivenoms. Poisons. Cf. K.John, iii. i. 63, Hatn. iv. 7. 104, 
etc. There may be an allusion to the poisoned tunic of Hercules. 

23. Use. Are accustomed. We still use the past tense of the 
verb in this sense, but not the present. Cf. Temp. ii. i. 175 : " they 
always use to laugh at nothing; " T. N. ii. 5. 104: "with which 
she uses to seal ; " A. and C. ii. 5. 32 : " we use To say the dead 
are well," etc. See also Milton, Lycidas, 67 : " Were it not better 
done, as others use," etc. 

26. Practices. Plottings. Cf. Hen. V. ii. 2. 90 : " the practices 
of France ; " Id. ii. 2. 144: "And God acquit them of their prac- 
tices ! " etc. 

27, Place. That is, place for you ; or, perhaps, //(a:<ri?=: dwelling- 
place, residence. Cf. L. C. 82 : " Love lack'd a dwelling, and 
made him her place;" Rich. III. iii. i. 69 : "Did Julius Caesar 
build that place [the Tower], my lord?" So "Crosby Place" 
(the quarto reading in Rich. III. i. 2. 213, etc.) = Crosby House; 
"Eltham Place" (i Hen. VI. iii. i. i56) = Eltham House, etc. 
Butchery here = slaughter-house ; elsewhere (as in Rich. III. i. 2. 
54, 100, etc.) = slaughter. 

36. Subject. English editors think it necessary to note that the 
accent is on the second syllable, but this is the modern pronuncia- 



Scene III] Notes 193 

tion of the verb, at least in this country ; and it is the only one in 
S. See Temp. i. 2, 114, Rich. II. iii, 2. 176, and K. John, i. I. 264, 
which are the only other instances. 

37. Diverted blood. Alienated or perverted relationship. 

39. The thrifty hire I saved. That is, the wages which I was 
thrifty in saving. 

42. In corners thrown. That is, be thrown there. 

43,44. The ravens . . . the sparrow. Ci. _/ob, xxxviii. 4.1, Fsa/ms, 
Ixxxiv. 3, cxlvii. 9, Matthew, x. 29, and luke, xii. 6, 24. 

49. In my blood. " These words seem by a kind of zeugma to 
belong both to the verb apply and to the adjectives hot and rebel- 
lious" (Moberly). 

50, Nor did not. Cf. ii. 4. 9 below. £/«<5(3:j/^y^/=: shameless. 
Woo the means = seek pleasures that are the cause. 

57. Constant. Faithful. Cf. Hen. V. ii. 2. 5: " Constant loy- 
alty;" Cymb.i. 5. 75: — 

" a sly and constant knave, 
Not to be shak'd," etc. 

58. Sweat. Past tense; as in M. of V. iii. 2. 205, Hen. VIII. ii. 
I. 33, etc. It is also used for the participle; as in T. of A. iii. 2. 
28. 

60. Promotion. A quadrisyllable. See on i. 2. 265, and cf. i. 3. 

77- 

61. And having, etc. "Even with the. promotioii gained by ser- 
vice is service extinguished" (Johnson). 

65. In lieu of. In return for; the only meaning in S. Cf. 
I. L. L. iii. I. 130, M. of V. iv. i. 410, Hen. V. i. 2. 255, etc. 

66. Come thy ways. See on i. 2. 209 above. 

68. Some settled low content. Some place where we may get a 
humble living and settle down contented ; a good example of Shake- 
spearian condensation of language. 

74. Too late a week. Probably a proverbial phrase, like a " day 
too late for the fair." 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 3 



194 Notes [Act II 

Scene IV. — i. Weary. The folios have "merry," but most of 
the editors adopt weary. Furness and others defend " merry " on 
the ground that Rosalind is trying to comfort Celia by an assumed 
cheerfulness; and they may be right. 

4. I cotild find in my heart. I am almost inclined. Cf. C.ofE, 
iv. 4. 16 : "I could find in my heart to stay here ; " A. IV. ii. 5. 13: 
" I cannot yet find in my heart to repent," etc. In Much Ado, iii. 
5. 24 it is " find it in my heart." 

6. The weaker vessel. Cf. I Peter, iii. 7. Doublet and hose = 
coat and breeches. According to Fairholt (^Costume in Eng- 
land), the doublet was so called from "being made of double 
stuff padded between. . . . The doublet was close, and fitted 
tightly to the body, the skirts reaching a little below the gir- 
dle." The same writer says of hose, "This word, now applied 
solely to the stocking, was originally used to imply the breeches 
or chausses." 

11. / had rather. Good old English, like had as lief, etc. See 
on i. I. 143 above. For the play on bear and bear with, cf. T. G. 
ofV. i. I. 125, and Rich. III. iii. i. 128. 

12. Bear no cross. The old English penny was called a cross 
from bearing the impress of one. For the play upon the word, cf. 
2 Hen. IV. i. 2. 253. Here, as in some other instances, the fact 
seems to be sacrificed to the pun. Cf. i. 3. 133 above, and 65, 94 
below. 

19. Look you, etc. See who is coming. Cf. Ham. iii. 2. 132, 
etc. Some eds. point "who comes here ?" 

21. Solejnn talk. Earnest or serious conversation. Cf. 0th. v. 
2. 227, etc. 

31. Fantasy. Love ; like fancy (cf. iii. 5. 29 and v. 4. 150), 
which is only a contracted form of the same word. It occurs again 
in the same sense in v. 2. 91 below. 

38. Wearing. The reading of the first folio; the later ones have 
" Wearying," which means the same. Cf. A. W.y.i. /^i " To wear 
your gentle limbs in my affairs." 



Scene IV] Notes 195 

40. Broke. Cf. spoke in i. i. 83. S. also uses broken for the 
participle. 

44. Searching of. In searching of, or a-searching of. 

45. By hard adventure. By bad luck, unfortunately. 

48. A-night. By night. Cf. Chaucer, Legende of Goode Women^ 

1473: — 

" yf that any straunge wyghte 
With tempest thider were yblow anyghte." 

49. Batlet. The small bat used for beating clothes while wash- 
ing them. The first folio has " batler," which has the same mean- 
ing, and is retained by some editors. 

50. 67z^// = chapped. Cf. J.C. i. 2. 246: "their chopt hands," 
etc. 

51. Peascod. Pea-pod. It was often used in rustic divination of 
love affairs. Mr. Davy, speaking of Suffolk, says : " The kitchen- 
maid, when she shells green pease, never omits, if she finds one 
having nine pease, to lay it on the lintel of the kitchen-door ; and 
the first clown who enters it is infallibly to be her husband, or at 
least her sweetheart." " Winter-time for shoeing, peascod time for 
wooing " is an old Devonshire proverb. Cf. Browne, Britannia'' s 
Pastorals : — 

" The peascod greene oft with no little toyle 
Hee'd seeke for in the fattest, fertil'st soile, 
And rend it from the stalke to bring it to her, 
And in her bosome for acceptance wooe her." 

52. Two cods. Johnson suggested " two peas," but ^o^j' or /^«5- 
cods seems sometimes to have been used for peas. Cf. Beaumont 
and Fletcher, Hottest Man's Fortune, iii. 3 : " thou shalt wear gold, 
feed on delicates, the first peascods, strawberries," etc. 

53. Weeping tears. This ridiculous expression occurs in Lodge's 
novel, and also in the old play of The Victories of King Henry V., 
Peele's y^j'/.r, etc. (Steevens). 



196 



Notes [Act II 



56. Mortal in folly. Mortally foolish. Mortal ^=vtty great, is 
used in various English dialects. 

57. Wiser. More wisely. See on iii. 5. 137. Ware — aware, but 
not a contraction of that word, as most modern eds. make it. It is 
uniformly printed " ware " in the folio. 

59. Till I break, etc. "Till I find to my cost the truth of some 
of my own aphorisms " (Moberly). 

61. Upon my fashion. After my fashion; as in i. I. I. Schmidt 
compares Lyly, Euphues : " he returned them a salute on this man- 
ner ; " and Greene, Pandosto : " began to parley with her on this 
manner." Ellis (^Early English Pronunciation^ thinks that passion 
and fashion here are trisyllables. 

71. Love or gold. Cf. the proverbial phrase, " for love or money." 

75. Faints for succour. That is, she faints for want of succour. 
Cf. " dead for breath " {Macb. i. 5. 37), " to sink for food " {Cymb. 
iii. 6. 17), etc. In T. G. of V. i. 2. 136, "for catching cold" = for 
fear of catching cold. 

79. That I graze. Of the sheep that I feed. 

81. Little recks. Little cares. Cf. T. G. of V. iv. 3.40: "reck- 
ing as little what betideth me." 

83. Cote. Cottage (cf. 92 below). So sheepcote in next line and 
in iv. 3. 77. See also W. T. iv. 4. 808, etc. Bounds of feed = 
limits of pasturage, pastures. 

87. Ln my voice. In my name, so far as I am concerned. Cf. 
M. for M. i. 2. 185 : " Implore her in my voice," etc. 

'^%. What is he ? Who is he ? Cf. ii. 7. 79 below. 

89. But erewhile. Just now. Cf. iii. 5. 104 below. See also 
L. L. L. iv. I. 99, and M. N. D. iii. 2. 274. 

91. Lf it stand with honesty. If it is consistent with honesty; 
that.is, with the understanding you have with Silvius. Cf. Cor. ii. 
3. 91, etc. 

95. Waste. Spend. Cf. M. of V. iii. 4. 12, Temp. v. i. 302, 
M. N. D. ii. I. 57, etc. See also ii. 7. 134 below. 

100. Feeder. Shepherd, the feeder of your flocks. 



Scene v] Notes 197 

Scene V. — 3. Turn. Pope and some others change turn to 
" tune." Whiter says that " to turn a time, in the counties of York 
and Durham, is the appropriate and familiar phrase for modulating 
the voice properly according to the turns or air of the tune." 

5. Come hither. Let him come hither. 

6. Here shall he see, etc. Cf. ii. I. 6 fol. 

13. As a weasel sucks eggs. Cf. Hen. V. i. 2. 170: — 

" For once the eagle England being in prey, 
To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot 
Comes sneaking, and so sucks her princely eggs." 

15. Ragged. Rough. S. elsewhere uses ra^f^ where we should 
use rugged. Cf. R. of L. 892 : " Thy smoothing titles to a ragged 
name; " Sonn. 6. i : "winter's ragged hand," etc. 

18. Stanzo. The folio reading, and found in other books of the 
time. S. uses the word only here and in L. L. L. iv. 2. 99, where 
the folio has stanze. 

25. The encounter, etc. The grinning of two monkeys at each 
other. Bartholomaeus says of apes : " some be call cenophe ; and be 
lyke to an hounde in the face, and in the body lyke to an ape." 
Maplett, in his Green Forest, or a Natural History, 1567, speaks of 
five kinds of apes, one of which " is not much unlike our dog in 
figure or shew." The reference here, as in S., is probably to the 
dog-faced baboon, the Simia hamadryas of Linnaeus. 

28. The beggarly thanks. " The professionally benedictive thanks 
of a beggar " (Moberly). 

30. Cover the while. Spread the table in the meantime. Cf. 
M. of V. iii. 5. 57, 65, and 2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 11. For the while, see 
Temp. iii. I. 24, Macb. ii. I. 29, etc. 

31. Drink. The folio reading, changed in many eds. to "dine," 
which is sufficiently implied in cover. As Capell remarks, drink 
"tells something more, — that he meant to pass the afternoon there, 
under the shade of that tree." 



198 Notes [Act II 

32. To look you. To look for you. Cf. A. W. iii. 6. 115 : **I 
must go look my twigs," etc. 

34. Disputable. Disputatious. Adjectives in -able are often used 
actively. 

35. I give heaven thanks, Qic. A proverbial expression. Ci. Much 
Ado, iii. 3. 19 : " Why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it." 

38. To live i' the sun. That is, " a life of open-air freedom," or 
of " careless idleness." 

46. In despite of my invention. "As imagination w^ould do 
nothing for me, I spited it by the following choice composition " 
(Moberly). To this note = to the same tune. 

53. Ducdame. A word on which the commentators have wasted 
much ink, without giving a satisfactory answer to the question of 
Amiens, "What's that ducdame?'''' It is probably mere nonsense 
coined for the occasion, echoing in rhythm and accent the come 
hither of the song. 

58. To call fools into a circle. Moberly adds, '* for the purpose 
of etymologically and linguistically investigating the meaning of 
ducdame ; " which is a fair hit at the commentators, one of whom 
(followed by several others) seriously argues that the word is 
" manifestly " the call of the dame, or housewife, to her ducks ! 

59. Go sleep. See on i. i. 73 above. The first-born of Egypt 
(^Exodus, xi. 5) probably has no definite meaning here ; or, as 
Nares suggests, " perhaps Jaques is only intended to say that, if he 
cannot sleep, he will, like other discontented people, rail against 
his betters," 

61. Banquet. Probably here = dinner, feast ; as in Much 
Ado, ii. I. 178. It sometimes meant only the dessert ; as in T. of 
^. V. 2. 9 : — 

" My banquet is to close our stomachs up 
After our great good cheer." 

Scene VI. — 2. For food. That is, for want of it. See on ii. 
4. 75 above. Here lie I down, etc. Cf. R. and J. iii. 3. 70 : — 



Scene VII] Notes 199 

" And fall upon the ground, as I do now, 
Taking the measure of an unmade grave." 

5. Comfort. That is, comfort thyself ; or it may be = take 
comfort, be comforted. 

6. Uncouth. Unknown, strange ; its original sense. Cf. R. of 
L. 1598 : "What uncouth ill event Hath thee befallen?" and 
Milton, P. L. ii. 406 : — 

" And through the palpable obscure find out 
His uncouth way." 

8. Thy conceit, etc. You think yourself nearer to death than 
you are. Conceit often = conception, idea, thought, etc. Cf. Ham. 
iii. 4. 114: " Conceit (that is, fancy or imagination) in weakest 
bodies strongest works." 

10. Presently. Immediately. Cf. Temp. iv. 1.42, v. I. ioi,etc. 

13. Well said ! "Well spoken and to the purpose." He con- 
gratulates himself that his words make Adam "look cheerly." It 
often means, " Well done ! " as in I Hen. IV. v. 4. 75, etc. 

Thou lookest cheerly. That is, cheerily, cheerfully. Cf. T. of 
A. ii. 2. 223 : " Prithee, man, look cheerly ! " etc. See also ii. 7. 
II below, and cf. i. 2. 153 above. 

Scene VII. — l. / think he be. The subjunctive is often used 
after verbs of thinking. Cf. 0th. iii. 3. 443, etc. 

3. But even now. But just now. Cf. Tetnp. v. i. 232, etc. 

4. Hearing of. See on ii. 4. 44. 

5. Cofnpact of jars. All made up of discords. Cf. M. JV. D. v. 
I. 8 : " of imagination all compact," etc. 

6. The spheres. An allusion to the Pythagorean doctrine of the 
music of the spheres. Cf. T. N. iii. i. 121, M. of V. v. i, 60, 
A. and C. v. 2. 84, etc. See also Milton, Hymn on Nativity, 
125-132, etc. 

13. Motley. The party-coloured dress of the professional fool. 



200 Notes [Act II 

The word is used as a noun (== fool) in Sonn. no. 2, and in iii. 
3. 78 below. 

A miserable world ! " Jaques for the moment laughs at his own 
melancholy view of the world, having just heard it echoed by a 
professional jester " (Clarke). 

16. RaWd on. S. uses on or upon after rail oftener than at. 
Against {?, sometimes the preposition ; as inii. 5. 57 and iii. 2. 262 of 
the present play. For Lady Fortune cf. W. T. iv, 4. 51 : " O 
Lady Fortune ! " Temp. i. 2. 178 : "bountiful Fortune, Now my 
dear lady," etc. See also on i. 2. 31. 

19. Call me not fool, etc. An allusion to the old proverb : 
" Fortune favours fools, or fools have the best luck " (Ray, English 
Proverbs, 1670). 

20. A dial. This in the time of S. might mean either a watch or 
a portable sun-dial, and it is doubtful which is intended here. Cf. 
A. W. ii. 5.6: " my dial goes not true," etc. Poke = pouch, 
pocket. We still use the word in the proverb, "to buy a pig in a 
poke." Pocket is a diminutive of it. 

26. Ripe. Ripen ; as in M. of V. ii. 8. 40 : " the very riping 
of the time." It is used transitively in K. John, ii. i. 472 : " no 
sun to ripe the bloom ;" and in 2 Hen. IV. iv. i. 13 : " to ripe his 
growing fortunes." 

29. Moral. Moralize ; the only instance of the verb in S. 
Some make it an adjective. 

30. Crow. Cf. T. G. of V. ii. i. 28: "You were wont, when 
you laughed, to crow like a cock." See also T. N. i. 5. 95. 

31. Deep- contemplative. Compound adjectives are not rare in S. 

32. Sa7is. Cf. 166 below. See also Tetnp. i. 2. 97, L. L. Z. v. i. 
91, etc. It was much used by the writers of the time, and appears 
to have been viewed as an English word. Cotgrave (^Fr. Dict^ 
translates sans by " sanse, without, besides "; and Florio (//«/. Diet.) 
gives " sanse " as an English equivalent for senza. Intermission is 
here five syllables. 

34. The only wear. The only thing to wear, the only dress in 



Scene VII] Notes 20I 

fashion. Cf. W. T. iv. 4. 327 : " Of the new'st and finest, finest 
wear-a; " M. for M. iii. 2. 78: "it is not the wear," etc. 

39. Dry, etc. Boswell quotes Jonson's Every Man Out of his 
Humour, ind. : — 

" And now and then breaks a dry biscuit jest, 
Which, that it may more easily be chew'd, 
He steeps in his own laughter." 

40. Strange places. Odd corners. Some explain//«r^j as " topics 
or subjects of discourse," but this does not suit so well with crammed. 
The which refers to observation (knowledge gained by observa- 
tion), not, as some suppose, io places. 

44. Sttit, For the play on the word cf. iv. I. ^t, below. See also 
I Hen. IV. i. 2. 81. - 

48, As the wind. That "bloweth where it listeth " {fohn iii. 8). 
Cf. T. and C. i. 3. 253 : " Speak frankly as the wind;" Cor. i. 9. 89 : 
" as free as is the wind; " and Hen. /^ i. I. 48 : " The air, a charter'd 
libertine." 

53-57. He that, etc. In the folio the passage reads thus: — 

" Hee, that a Foole doth very wisely hit, 
Doth very foolishly, although he smart 
Seeme senselesse of the bob. If not, 
The Wise-mans folly is anathomiz'd 
Euen by the squandring glances of the foole." 

In 55 some read "Not to seem;" others " But to seem," etc. The 
meaning is essentially the same, but the latter seems more Shake- 
spearian. The sense then is : He whom a fool happens to hit well 
is very foolish unless he appears not to feel the rap ; otherwise his 
folly is laid bare even by the random sallies of the fool. For 
senseless = insensible, cf. Cymb. i. i. 135 : "I am senseless of your 
wrath," etc. Bob = rap, hit, is not found elsewhere in S., but we 
have the verb (= beat, drub) in Rich. III. v. 3. 334 and T. and C. 
ii. I. 76. For anatomize = lay open, disclose, cf. i. I. 153 above. 
Squander is used by S. only here and in M. of V. i. 3. 22 : " other 



202 Notes [Act II 

ventures he hath, squandered abroad;" that is, scattered abroad. 
In 0th. iii. 3. 151 ("his scattering and unsure observance ") scatter- 
ing is used much Hke squandering here. 

63. For a counter, A cou7tter was a round piece of metal used 
in calculations. It is used contemptuously for coins in J. C. iv. 3. 
80 : " such rascal counters." 

66. T/ie brutish sting. Animal passion. Cf. M. for M. i. 4. 59 : 
"The wanton stings and motions of the sense; " and 0th. i. 3. 335 : 
" our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts." 

67. Embossed. Tumid; as in Lear, ii. 4. 227: "an embossed 
carbuncle." Headed = gxov^n to a head. In the only other in- 
stance of the verb in S. {M.for M. ii. i. 250: "it is but heading 
and hanging ") it means to behead. 

70. Why, who cries out, etc. " Chide as I will, why should I 
offend them ? Who can say that I mean him ? Jaques appears 
either wilfully or through shallowness to miss the deep wisdom of 
the Duke's saying, and the whole character of his admonition. The 
Duke had not said that Jaques would offend people, but that he 
would corrupt them " (Moberly). 

71. Tax. Censure. See on i. 2. 85, and cf. 86 below. Private 
= "particular, opposed to general;" as in Sonn. 9. 7: "every pri- 
vate widow." 

73. The wearer'' s very means. The folio has "wearie verie 
meanes," which some retain, but the emendation in the text is 
generally adopted. Cf. Hen. VIII. i. i. 83 : — 

" O, many 
Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em 
For this great journey." 

75. When that. See on i. 3. 42. 

76. The cost of princes, etc. Cf. 2 Hen. VI. i. 3. 83 : " She bears 
a duke's revenues on her back." 

77. Come in. Intervene; as in 31. for M. ii. i. 31. 
79. Of basest function. Of the meanest position. 



Scene VII] Notes 203 

80. Bravery. Finery. Cf. T. of S. iv. 3. 57: "With scarfs and 
fans and double change of bravery." Cf. also brave = fine, beauti- 
ful; as in Temp. i. 2. 6, 411, iii. 2, 104, in, 113, v. i. 183, 261, etc. 
On my cost = at my expense. Cf. Hen. V. iv. 3. 25 : *' doth feed 
upon my cost." 

82. Mettle. Substance, purport. The early eds. make no dis- 
tinction between metal and mettle. 

84. Do him right. Give him his due, do him justice; as in M, 
for M. ii. 2. \OT^, Rich. II. ii. 3. 138, and many other passages. 

85. Free. Innocent; as in W. T. i. 2. 251, Ham. ii. 2. 590, 
Oih. ii. 3. 343, etc. 

88. Eat. S. uses both eat and eaten for the participle, and the 
former regularly (so far as the early eds. show) for the past tense. 

90. Of what kind, etc. Of what race, etc. On the double 
preposition, cf. in, 139 below. See also A. W. i. 2. 29, T. and C. v. 
I. 63, Cor. ii. I. 18, etc. 

91. Boldened. Not a contraction of emboldened, as sometimes 
printed. Cf. Hen. VIII. i. 2. 55. Bold is used as a verb in the 
same sense in lear, v. i. 26. 

94. Vein. Disposition, temper. At first x^izx's, of course to 91. 

96. Inlajtd bred. Brought up in the interior of the country, as 
opposed to the less populous and less cultivated frontiers, or perhaps 
to mountainous districts. Cf. iii. 2. 341 below. 

97. Nurture. Culture, good-breeding. Cf. Temp. iv. i. 189. 
So ill-nurtured =■ ill-bred in V. and A. 134 and 2 Hen. VI. i. 2. 42. 

99. Answered. Satisfied; as in y. C. v. i. i, etc. 
104. For food. See on ii. 4. 75 above. 

109. Co77imandment. Command; as in W. 7111.2.8: "I have 
express commandment," etc. 

1 10. Inaccessible. Hard of access, "almost inaccessible " ( Temp. 
ii. I. 37). 

114. KnolVd. Cf. Macb. v. 8. 50 and 2 Hen. IV. i. i. 103. 
118. Enforcement. Cf. A. W. v. 3. 107: "by what rough en- 
forcement You got it," etc. 



204 Notes [Act II 

125. upon cotnmand. At your will or pleasure. 
128. Whiles. Cf. V. 4. 5, 137 below; also M. No D. iii. 2. 374, 
etc. On like a doe, cf. V. and A. 875. 

131. Suffic'd. Satisfied. Cf, K. John, i. i. 191 : "when my 
knightly stomach is suffic'd," etc. 

132. Weak evils. That is, causing weakness; the cause and 
effect being transposed, as very often. 

139. All the world'' s a stage. The comparison is very common 
in writers of the time. Cf. Edwardes, Damon and Pythias, 1571 : — 

" Pythagoras said, that this world was like a stage, 
Whereon many play their parts ; " 

Sidney, Arcadia : " She found the world but a wearisome stage to 
her, where she played a part against her will," etc. 

143. Seven ages. The division of man's life into seven, ten, or 
more periods or " ages " was likewise common, and dates back to 
very ancient times. Plato attributes to Hippocrates the division 
of man's life into seven periods. In the Mishna fourteen periods 
are given, and a poem upon the ten stages of life was written by the 
great Hebrew commentator Ibn Ezra (Browning's " Rabbi Ben 
Ezra"). Sir Thomas Browne devotes a chapter of his Vulgar 
Errors (iv. 12) to the various divisions which have been proposed. 
As Grant White remarks (^Tale of the Forest of Arden), all these 
stages of life are here described "in scoffing and disparaging terms "; 
in fact, Jaques " seized the occasion to sneer at the representatives 
of the whole human race." 

144. Mewling. Squalling ; used by S. only here. 

146. Like snail. Halliwell-Phillipps quotes Browne, Britan- 
nia^ s Pastorals : — 

" Or with their hats (for fish) lade in a brooke 
Withouten paine : but when the morne doth looke / 
Out of the easterne gates, a snayle would faster 
Glide to the schooles, then they unto their master." : 



Scene VII] Notes 205 

148. Sighing like furnace. Cf. Cymb. i. 6. 66 : " He furnaces 
The thick sighs from him." 

150. Ficll of strange oaths. Sir James Douglas, one day hearing 
the exclamation " The devil ! " pronounced with great emphasis in 
a cottage, immediately concluded "that some gallant knights or 
good men-at-arms were lurking there " (^Pict. Hist, of Eng. ii. 264). 
Soldiers have always " sworn terribly," and not " in Flanders " alone. 
Cf Hen. V. iii. 6. 78. Bearded like the pard probably refers, as 
Furness suggests, to " the general shagginess characteristic of a true 
soldier on duty in the field, as distinguished from the trim nicety of 
a carpet knight." 

151. Sudden. Impetuous, passionate. Cf.J/<3:<:(5. iv.3. 59 : "Sudden, 
malicious ; " 0th. ii. I. 279 : " rash and very sudden in choler," etc. 

155. Beard of formal cut. Cf. Hen. F. iii. 6. 80 : "a beard of 
the general's cut," etc. 

156. Wise saws, etc. "Wise maxims and trite illustrations. For 
modern = commonpla.ce, trivial, cf. Macb. iv. 3. 170 : "a modern 
ecstasy ; " A. W. ii. 3. 2 : " modern and familiar," etc. See also 
iv. I. 7 below. For instances, cf. Much Ado, v. 2. 78 : "an old 
instance," etc. 

158. Pantaloon. The word and character were borrowed from 
the Italian stage. Cf. Addison's Remarks on Several Parts of Italy : 
"There are four standing characters which enter into every piece 
that comes on the stage : the Doctor, Harlequin, Panialone, and 
Coviello . . . Panialone is generally an old Cully, and Coviello a 
Sharper." Capell quotes from The Travels of three English Broth- 
ers, 1607, a dialogue between an Italian Harlequin and Kemp, the 
actor : — 

" Harl. Marry sir, first we will have an old Pantaloune. 

Kemp. Some iealous Coxcombe. 

Harl. Right, and that part will I play." 

In Calot's plates illustrating the Italian comedy is one in which the 
ancient pantaloon wears slippers. 

160. Hose. See on ii. 4. 6 above. A world vfdA then as now a 



2o6 Notes [Act III 

common hyperbole. Cf. 0th. i. 3. 159 : "a world of sighs; " AT. 
N. D. ii. I. 223 : "worlds of company; " Hen. VIII. iii. 2. 211 : 
" all the world of wealth," etc. 

163. His. For its, which was just coming into use in the time of S. 

166. Sans. See on 32 above. 

171. Fall to. Used by S. in other connections than of eating. 
Cf. 2 Hen. IV. v. 5. 51 : " fall to thy prayers ; "/. C. v. 3. 7 : "his 
soldiers fell to spoil," etc. See also v. 4. 179 below. 

175. Unkind. Explained by some critics as = unnatural (cf. 
Lear, iii. 4. 73, i Hen. VI. iv. i. 193, etc.), but it may have its 
ordinary sense. 

178. Because thou art not seen. That is, "thy rudeness gives 
the less pain, as thou art an enemy that dost not brave us with thy 
presence, and whose unkindness is therefore not aggravated by 
insult" (Johnson). Capell quotes Lear, iii. 2. 16-18 : "I tax not 
you, you elements, with unkindness," etc. 

180. Holly. " Songs of the holly were current long before the 
time of S. It was the emblem of mirth " (Halliwell-Phillipps). 

187. The waters warp. Either referring to the curving of the 
surface in freezing, or in a more general sense to the change under- 
gone. Warp is elsewhere = change, distort, etc. Cf. W. T. i. 2. 
365, A. W. V. 3. 49, Lear, iii. 6. 56, etc. 

189. As friend remember'' d not. "As what an unremembered 
friend feels " (Moberly) . 

193. Effigies. Effigy, likeness ; a trisyllable, with the accent on 
the second syllable. 

194. Limned. Painted. Used by S. only here and in V. and A. 
290. Dislimn ( = efface) occurs in A. and C. iv. 14. 10. 



ACT III 



Scene I. — 2. The better part. For the greater part. The prep- 
osition is often omitted in adverbial expressions of time, manner, etc. 



Scene II] Notes 207 

3. Argument. See on i. 2. 280 above. 

4. Thou present. You being present. 

6. Seek him with candle. As Steevens remarks, alluding prob- 
ably to Luke, XV. 8. 

7. Turn. Return ; as in Rich. III. iv. 4. 184 : " Ere from this 
war thou turn a conqueror," etc. 

II. Quit thee. Clear or acquit thyself. Cf. Hen. V. ii. 2. 166 : 
" God quit you in his mercy ! " 

16. Of such a nature. That is, whose duty it is. 

17. Make an exterit, etc. Put in an extendi facias, etc. Lord 
Campbell, in Shakespeare's Legal Acqtiirements, quotes this passage 
as illustrating the poet's knowledge of law, the writ of extendi facias 
applying to houses and lands, as that oi fieri facias to goods and 
chattels, and that of capias ad satisfaciendum to the person. Fur- 
ness, however, shows that this process by extent could not legally be 
resorted to under the existing facts, because an extent could only be 
made after forfeiture or judgment. 

18. Expediently. Expeditiously, quickly. So expedient =ex'^e- 
ditious ; as in K. John, ii. I. 60 and Rich, II. i. 4. 39. Turn him 
going ■= send him packing ; as vcij. C. iii. 3. 38. 

Scene II. — 2. Thrice-crowned. Cf. M. N. D.v. i. 391: "By 
the triple Hecate's team." Singer quotes from Chapman's Hym- 
nus in Cynthiam a passage which may have been in Shakespeare's 

mind : — 

" Nature's bright eye-sight, and the night's fair soul, 
That with thy triple forehead dost control 
Earth, seas, and hell." 

4. My full life doth sway. Cf. 7". iV". ii. 5. 118: "doth sway my 
life." 

6. Character. Write, inscribe. Cf. Sonn. 108. i, R. of L. 807, 
T. G. of V. ii. 7. 4, etc. S. accents the verb either on the first or 
second syllable; the noun on the first, except in Rich. LIL iii. i. 81. 

7. That. So that. See on i. 2. 127 above. 



2o8 Notes [Act III 

lo. Unexpressive. Inexpressible. Cf. Milton, Lycidas, 176: 
"the unexpressive nuptial song; " Hymn on A^ativ. 116: "With 
unexpressive notes. " Cf. also insuppressive = not to be suppressed 
■(_/. C. ii. I. 134), unconiprehensive = unknown (Z*. and C. iii. 3. 
198), plausive = plausible, specious (A. W. i. 2. 53), respective = 
respectable (Z". G. of V. iv. 4. 200), etc. For j/^^ = woman, cf. 
T. N. i. 5. 259 : " the cruellest she alive ; " Hen. V. ii. i. 83 : " the 
only she; " Cymb. i. 6. 40: "two such shes," etc. See also he in 
388 below. 

15. Naught. Bad. See on i. 2. 64 above. 

16. Private. Lonely, solitary. Qi. Hen. VII I. \\. 2.1^'. " I left 
him private," etc. 

21. Hast. Cf. 32 below: "Wast ever in court?" 

30. Of good breeding. That is, of the want of\i. See on ii. 4. 
75 above. 

40. Good mamiers. A play upon words, majtners being used 
for morals as well as for habits or deportment-. No such term as 
morals is found in the old dictionaries and authors. 

43. Parlous. A vulgar corruption oi perilous. Cf, M. N. D. iii. 
I. 14: "a parlous fear," etc. 

47. But you kiss. Without kissing. 

50. Instance. Proof. Cf. Much Ado, ii. 2. 42: "They will 
scarcely believe this without trial; offer them instances," etc. 

51. Still. Continually; as in i. 2. 227, and often. 

52. Fells. Fleeces. Cf. Macb. v. 5. 11 : "my fell of hair;" 
Lear^ v. 3. 24 : " flesh and fell," etc. 

54. A mutton. A sheep. Cf. T. G. of V. i. i. loi : "a lost mut- 
ton; " M. of V.'x. 3. 168: "flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats," etc. 

59. More sounder. Cf. " more worthier " (iii. 3. 58 below), 
"more elder" {M. of V. iv. i. 251), "more better" {^Tenip. i. 2. 
19), etc. 

65. Perpend. Ponder, consider; a word used only by Pistol, 
Polonius, and the clowns. Cf. M, W. ii. i. 119, Ham. ii. 2. 105, 
etc. 



Scene II] Notes 209 

70. God make incision in thee ! " God give thee a better under- 
standing, thou art very raw and simple as yet " (Heath). The ref- 
erence is probably to bleeding as a method of cure. Cf. L. L, L. 

iv. 3- 97- 

71. On raw = green, inexperienced, cf. M. of V. iii. 4. 77, 

Rich. II. ii. 3. 42, etc. 

73. Owe no man hate. Q.i. Romans, xiii. 8 : " Owe no man any- 
thing, but to love one another." 

74. Content with my harm. " Patient in tribulation. " 

81. Scape. Not a contraction of escape. Cf. Bacon, Adv. of L, 
ii. 14. 9 : " had scaped shipwreck," etc. 

84. East. Eastern. Ind is printed " Inde " in the folio, and 
the vowel is doubtless meant to be long; as in L. L. L. iv. 3, 222, 
where the word rhymes with blind. 

88. Liri'd. Delineated, drawn. 

91. Fair. Beauty; as often. Cf. Sonn. 16. 11 : "Neither in 

inward worth nor outward fair," etc. Steevens quotes from Lodge's 

novel : — 

" Then muse not, nymphes, though I bemone 

The absence of fair Rosalynde, 

Since for her fair there is fairer none," etc. 

92. Rhyme you. Cf. Hen. V. iii. 6. 74 : " they will learn you by 
rote where services were done; " T. ajid C. i. 2. 188: "he will 
weep you, an 't w^ere a man born in April," etc. 

94. Butter-women'' s rank. That is, their jog-trot one after an- 
other. For right = true, downright, cf. 116 and 272 below. 

99. If the cat, etc. A common proverbial phrase. Cf. the Enter- 
lude of Jacob and Esau, 1568 : " Cat after kinde, saith the proverbe, 
swete milke wil lap;" Florio's Second Frutes, 1591 : "cat after 
kinde will either hunt or scratch," etc. 

109. False gallop. "Forced gait" (i Hen. IV. iii. i. 135). 
S. uses gallop only in this expression, which occurs again in Much 
Ado, iii. 4. 94. Malone quotes Nash's Pierce Pennilesse, 1593: "I 
would trot a false gallop through the rest of his ragged verses, but 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 4 



dio Notes [Act III 

that if I should retort the rime doggrell aright, I must make my 
verses (as he doth his) run hobbHng, like a brewer's cart upon the 
stones, and observe no measure in their feet." 

113. Graff. Graft; w^hich is a later form of the vi^ord. Cf. 
2 Hen. IV. V. 3. 3: "of my own graffing," etc. See also jnis- 
graffed in M. N. D.\. I. 137. Graft occurs in Co7'. ii. I. 206: 
" grafted to your relish," etc. 

114. A medlar. The fruit of the Mespilus Germanica, a tree 
still common in England. It was not considered fit to eat until it 
was overripe, or "rotten." There is here a play on medlar and 
meddler, as in T. of A. iv. 3. 307 fol. Steevens thought that call- 
ing the medlar. /^£' earliest fruit showed that S. had " little knowl- 
edge in gardening," as it is a very late fruit; but Rosalind says " for 
you '11 be rotten ere you be half ripe." 

123. For. Because. Cf. M. of V. i. 3. 43 : "I hate him for he 
is a Christian." In this passage if we put a comma before for, it 
still means because, but the connection is looser. Cf. M. for Af. ii. 

I. 27: — 

" You may not so extenuate his offence 

For I have had such faults ; " 

that is, the fact that I have been guilty is no excuse for him. Put 
a comma after offence and the passage becomes nonsense. 

125. Civil sayings. "Maxims of social life" (Johnson). For 
civil = civilized, see 2 Hen. VI. iv. 7. 66 : — 

" Kent, in the Commentaries Caesar writ, 
Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle ; " 

Cymb. iii. 6. 23 : — 

*' Ho ! who's here? 

If anything that 's civil, speak ; if savage, 

Take or lend," etc. 

127. Erring. Errant, wandering. Cf. 0th. i. 3. 362: "an 
erring barbarian" (= "extravagant and wheeling stranger " in Id. 



Scene II] Notes 2 ii 

i. I. 137); Ham. i. i. 154: "The extravagant and erring spirit," 
etc. 

129. Buckles in. Girds in, includes. Cf. Macb. v. 2. 15 and 
T. and C. ii. 2. 30. 

133. Sentence end. The possessive inflection was often omitted 
in dissyllables ending with a sibilant, and sometimes before sake, as 
in 253 below. 

136. Quintessence. The fifth or highest essence of the alche- 
mists; and hence, figuratively, the concentrated virtue of anything. 
S. uses the word only here and in Ham. ii. 2. 321. 

137. In little. In miniature. Cf. L. C. 90: "in little drawn." 
140. Wide-enlarged. "Spread through the world" (Schmidt). 

Cf. Temp. iii. i . 46 : — 

" but you, O you, 
So perfect and so peerless, are created 
Of every creature's best ! " 

142. Helen's cheek. Cf. Sonn. 53. 7: "On Helen's cheek all art 
of beauty set." 

144. Atalanta's better part. What this means has been much 
disputed. Whiter (who has nineteen octavo pages on the passage) 
remarks : " The imagery selected to discriminate the perfections of 
Helen, Cleopatra, Atalanta, and Lucretia was not derived from the 
abstract consideration of their general qualities, but was caught 
from those peculiar traits of beauty and character which are im- 
pressed on the mind of him who contemplates their portraits. It 
is well known that these celebrated heroines of romance were, in 
the days of our Poet, the favourite subjects of popular representa- 
tion, and were alike visible in the coarse hangings of the poor and 
the magnificent arras of the rich. In the portraits of Helen, whether 
they were produced by the skilful artist or his ruder imitator, though 
her face would certainly be delineated as eminently beautiful, yet 
she appears not to have been adorned with any of those charms 
which are allied to modesty. . . . With respect to the 'majesty' of 
Cleopatra, it may be observed that this notion is not derived from 



212 Notes [Act III 

classical authority, but from the more popular storehouse of legend 
and romance. . . . Since the story of Atalanta represents that hero- 
ine as possessed of singular beauty, zealous to preserve her virginity 
even with the death of her lovers, and accomplishing her purposes 
by extraordinary swiftness in running, we may be assured that the 
skill of the artist would be employed in displaying the most perfect 
expressions of virgin purity, and in delineating the fine proportions 
aud elegant symmetry of her person. Lucretia (we know) was the 
grand example of conjugal fidelity throughout the Gothic ages; and 
it is this spirit of unshaken chastity which is here celebrated under 
the title of * modesty.' Such, then, are the wishes of the lover in 
the formation of his mistress — that the ripe and brilliant beauties 
of Helen should be united to the elegant symmetry and virgin 
graces of Atalanta; and that this union of charms should be still 
dignified and ennobled by the majestic mien of Cleopatra, and the 
matron modesty of Lucretia." 

147. Heavenly synod. S. has synod in six passages, and in all 
but one it refers to an assembly of the gods. See Cor. v. 2. 74, 
Ham. ii. 2. 516, A. and C. iii. 10. 5, and Cymb. v. 4. 89. 

149. Touches. Traits, features. Cf. v. 4. 27 below. 

151. And I to live. Cf. v. 4. 22 below. 

\^2. Jupiter. The folio reading. Spedding suggested "pul- 
piter," which is plausible; but S. does not use the word elsewhere, 
nox pulpit (= rostra) except iny. C. Cf. Rosalind's " O Jupiter ! " 
in ii. 4. I. 

159. Scrip. The shepherd's pouch. Cf. i Samuel, xvii. 40, etc. 
S. has the word only here and in M. N. D.\.2. 3, where it means list. 

170. Should. Sometimes used to denote a statement not made 
by the speaker; but it may possibly depend on wondering rather 
than on hear. 

172. The nine days. The proverbial nine that a wonder is 
supposed to last. Cf. 3 Hen. VI. iii. 2. 113: — 

" Gloucester. That would be ten days' wonder at the least, 
Clarence. That 's a day longer than a wonder lasts," 



Scene II] Notes 213 

174. A palm-tree. From Lodge's novel. See on i. i. 113 above. 
Pythagoras' ti??ie. Moberly remarks that "the opinions of this 
philosopher are wittily explained in T. N. (iv. 2. 54-60), and 
forcibly in Af. of V. (iv. I. 131)." 

175. An Irish rat. Cf. ]onson, Poetaster : — 

" Rhyme them to death, as they do Irish rats, 
In drumming tunes ; " 

Sidney, Defence of Poesie : " Though I will not wish vnto you, the 
Asses ears of Midas, nor to bee driuen by a Poets verses, (as 
Bubonax was) to hang himselfe, nor to be rimed to death, as is 
sayd to be doone in Ireland, yet thus much curse I must send you ; " 
and Randolph, The Jealous Lovers, v. 2 : — 

" Shall with a satire, steep'd in gall and vinegar, 
Ryme 'em to death, as they do rats in Ireland." 

Wright remarks that the supposed effect of music upon these 
animals will be remembered by those who have read Browning's 
Pied Piper of Harnelin. 

177. Trow you. Know you. Cf. T. of S. i. 2. 165 : "Trow 
you whither I am going ? " etc. 

179. And a chain, etc. Cf. i. 2. 247. 

182. For friends, etc. Cf. Ray, Eng. Proverbs: "Friends may 
meet, but mountains never greet ; " Three Lordes of London, 1590 : 
" I '11 tell thee why we meet; because we are no mountains; " and 
Lyly's Mother Bombie, 1594: "Then we two met, which argued 
that we were no mountains." 

187. Petitionary. The word occurs again in Cor. v. 2.82: "thy 
petitionary countrymen." 

191. Out of all whooping. Beyond all exclamations of wonder. 

192. Good my complexion I "Let me not blush; " as good an 
explanation as any other of the many that have been suggested. 
Cf. 180 above. 

193. Caparisoned. Used jestingly, as in T. of S. iii. 2. 67. 



214 Notes [Act III 

195. A South Sea of discovery. That is^ "to be searched for 
discovery;" the least delay is as bad as a voyage of discovery. 

.201. Is he of God^s making? CL Lear, ii. 2. 59: "You cow- 
ardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee : a tailor made thee." 

205. Let me stay, etc. Tell me vi^ho he is, and I '11 wait for the 
growth of his beard. For stay — wait for, cf. T. G. of V. ii. 2. 13, 
Rich. II. i. 3. 4, Macb. iv. 3. 142, etc. 

209. Speak sad brow, etc. Speak seriously, as you are a true 
maid. Cf. Much Ado, i. i. 185 : " Speak you this with a sad brow? " 
and for the construction, Hen. V. v. 2. 156: "I speak to thee plain 
soldier; " K.John, ii. l, 462: "He speaks plain cannon fire," etc. 
See also 272 below. 

216. Wherein went he? How was he dressed? Cf. 0th. ii. I. 
151 : "went never gay; " Lear, ii. 4. 27 : "to go warm," etc. 

217. Makes. Does. See on i. i. 28 above. 

218. With. Cf. Rich. II. ii. 2. 2: "parted with the king," etc. 
Gr. 194. We have "parted from " in iv. 3. 98 below. 

221. Gargantud's mouth. Gargantua was the giant in Rabelais 
who swallowed five pilgrims at a gulp. Steevens quotes from the 
Registers of the Stationers' Company two items, showing that in 
1592 [April 6] was entered "Gargantua his prophesie," and in 
1594 [Dec. 4] "A booke entituled, the historic of Gargantua &c." 

223. To say ay and no, etc. To answer your questions even 
briefly, etc. 

226. Looks he as freshly. See on i. 2. 153 and ii. 6. 13 above. 

228. Atomies. Atoms, motes. Cf. R. and J. i. 4. 57 and 
2 Hen. IV. V. 4. 33. Cf. Milton, // Pens. 7 : — 

" As thick and numberless 
As the gay motes that people the sunbeams." 

Resolve = solve, answer; as in 3 Hen. VI. iv. i. 135, etc. 

230. Observance. Observation, attention. Cf. 0th. iii. 3. 151 : 
" scattering and unsure observance," etc. 



Scene II] Notes 215 

232. foveas tree. Cf. 3 Hen. VI. v. 2. 14: "Jove's spreading 
tree." The oak was sacred to Jupiter. 

236. Stretched along. See on ii. i. 30 above. 

239. The ground. The background of the picture, as Caldecott 
explains it; though it may have its ordinary meaning. 

240. HoUa. Used in checking horses. Cf. V. and A. 284 : — 

" What recketh he his rider's angry stir, 
His flattering ' Holla,' or his ' Stand, I say ? ' " 

241. On curvets, cf. V. and A. 279: "rears upright, curvets, and 
leaps." The noun is accented on the last syllable, in A. W. ii. 3. 
299: "the bound and high curvet Of Mars's fiery steed." i'V^r- 
wzV/^^ = dressed, equipped. Cf. epil. 9 below; also i Hen. IV. 
V. 3. 21 : "furnish'd like the king," etc. 

243. Heart. There is a play on the word; as in T. N. iv. i. 
63,/. C. iii. I. 208, V. and A. 502, etc. 

244. Burden. According to Chappell, the burden of a song 
was " the base, foot, or u^ider-song^'' which was sung throughout, 
and not merely at the end of the verse." The Century Diet, gives 
" the bass in music " as the first meaning of the word. 

245. Bringest me out. Put me out; as in 248 below. Cf. 
L. L. L. v. 2. 171: "that brings me out." 

250. By. Aside. So " walk by " = step aside, in 0th. v. 2. 
30; "stand by" = stand aside, stand back, in Much Ado, iv. i. 
24, T. of S. i. 2. 143, etc. 

252. Had as lief have been. Cf. Much Ado, ii. 3. 84, and see 
on i. I. 143 above. Myself alone = by myself; an expression, as 
we are told, still used in Scotland. 

253. Fashion sake. See on 133 above. 

255. God be wi^ you. " God buy you " in the folio ; as in iv. i. 
29 and V. 3. 40 below, and many other passages. Our good-bye is 
from the same phrase. 

260. Moe. More; the folio reading here, as in forty or more 
other passages, though we find " more " in 258 just above. The 



21 6 Notes [Act III 

form is required by the rhyme in 7?. of L. 1479 and Much Ado, ii. 
3. 72. It is regularly used only with the plural. In the one ap- 
parent exception in the folio ( Temp. v. i . 234 : " mo diversitie of 
sounds") the expression is virtually a plural. 

263. Just. Just so; as in M. for M. iii. i. 68, Much Ado, ii. 
I. 29, V. I. 164, Hen. V. iii. 7. 158, etc. 

271. Conned. Learned by heart; as in M. N. D. i. 2. 102, 
Hen. V. iii. 6. 79, etc. Out of rings alludes to the "posies" or 
mottoes inscribed on rings. Cf. M. of V. v. i. 148, 151, and 
Ham. iii. 2. 162. 

272. / ansiver you right painted cloth. For the construction, 
see on 209 above. Painted cloth alludes to the tapestry hangings 
for rooms, which were ornamented with figures and mottoes. Cf. 
R. of L. 245, Z. L. L. V. 2. 579, I Hen. IV. iv. 2. 28, and T. and 
C. V. 10. 47. Steevens quotes Randolph, The Muse^s Looking- 
glass, iii. I : — 

" Then for the painting, I bethink myself 
That I have seen in Mother Redcap's hall, 
In painted cloth, the story of the Prodigal." 

See also No Whipping nor Tripping, 1 601 : — 

" Read what is written on the painted cloth : 
Do no man wrong ; be good unto the poor ; 
Beware the mouse, the maggot and the moth, 
And ever have an eye unto the door," etc. 

278. No breather. Ci. Sonn. 81. 12: "all the breathers of this 
world; " and A. and C. iii. 3. 24 : "a body rather than a life, A 
statue than a breather." 

283. By my troth. See on i. 2. 88 above. 

301. Sighing every m.inute, etc. Cf. Rich. II. v. 5. 50-58. 

306. Who. For whom, as often. See on i. 2. 17 above. 

312. A se'mtight. A week. Cf y^r/«z^,^/ = fourteen nights. 

314. Year. Cf. Sonn, ii. 8: "threescore year;" Temp. i. 2. 



Scene II] Notes 217 

53: "Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since," etc. Simi- 
larly we ^nd pound, shilling, mile, etc., in the plural. 

333. Fringe. Fairholt, in his Costumes, gives representations 
of petticoat fringes from portraits of the Elizabethan age. 

334. Native. Cf. Haju. i. 4. 14 and iv. 7. 180. S. has native 
as a noun (= source) only in Cor. iii. I. 129 : "the native of our 
so frank donation ; " where some critics would read " motive." 

335. Cony. Rabbit. Cf. V. and A. 687 and Cor. iv. 5. 226. 
^e«(37^(/ = littered, born; still used of hares and rabbits in some 
provincial dialects. Furness says it is in common use in this 
country, as applied to rabbits. 

338. Purchase. Get, gain. Cf. il/. ^/" F". ii. 9. 43 : "purchased by 
the merit of the wearer; " Rich. II. i. 3. 282 : "I sent thee forth 
to purchase honour," etc. Removed z= retired. Cf. W. T. v. 2. 
116: "that removed house; " M. for M. i. 3. 8 : "the life re- 
moved," etc. See also Milton, // Petis. 78 : " Some still removed 
place." 

339. Of. By. Cf. i. I. no, 163, etc. 

340. Religious uncle. That is, a monk or hermit. Cf. v. 4. 
160, 181 below. So in Rich. II. w. i. 23, "religious house " = 
convent. 

341. Courtship. Court life; with a play on the other sense. 
Cf. R. and J. iii. 3. 34. For inland, see on ii. 7. 96 above. 

345. Taxed. Charged. See on i. 2. 85 above. 

358. Fancy-monger. Love-monger. See on fantasy, ii. 4. 31 
above. 

360. Quotidian. A fever with daily paroxysms. Cf. Lyly's 
Euphues : " if euer she haue ben taken with the feuer of fancie, 
she will help his ague, who by a quotidian fit is conuerted into 
phrensie." See also Hen. V. ii. i. 124: "He is so shaked of a 
burning quotidian tertian, that it is most lamentable to behold." 

363. There is none. The singular verb is often thus used before 
a plural subject. 

365. Cage of rushes. That is, weak bondage. 



21 8 Notes [Act III 

367. A blue eye. That is, with blue circles about it. Cf. R. of 

Z. 1587: — 

" And round about her tear-distained eye, 

Blue circles stream'd, like rainbows in the sky." 

So in " blue-eyed hag," in Te77ip. i. 2. 270. Unquestionable 
= disinclined to question or conversation. Cf. questionable in 
Ham. i. 4. 43. For question = talk, conversation, see iii. 4. 35 and 
V. 4. 161 below. 

371. Simply. Indeed, absolutely. Cf. M. N. D. iv. 2. 9: "he 
hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in Athens; " Hen. 

V. iii. 7. 105: "He is simply the most active gentleman of 
France," etc. Having = property, possession. Cf. M. W. iii. 2. 
73: "the gentleman is of no having;" Cymb. i. 2. 19: "he 
added to your having," etc. 

372. Ungartered. Cf. T. G. of V. ii. i. 79 and Ham. ii. i. 80. 

373. Bonnet =h2i\.; as elsewhere in S. Cf. V. and A. 339: "his 
bonnet " (called " his hat " in 351 just below), etc. On the whole 
passage, cf. Heywood's Fair Maid of the Exchange : — 

" No by my troth, if every tale of love, 
Or love it selfe, or foole-bewitching beauty, 
Make me crosse-arme my selfe ; study ay-mees ; 
Defie my hat-band ; tread beneath my feet 
Shoo-strings and garters ; practise in my glasse 
Distressed lookes, and dry my liver up 
With sighes enough to win an argosie." 

376. Point-device. Affectedly nice. Cf. L. L. L. w. i. 21 and 
T. N, ii. 5. 176. 

384. In good sooth. In very truth. Cf. M. of V.'i. i. i = "In 
sooth," etc. 

388. He. See on 10 above. 

394. A dark house, etc. The usual treatment of lunatics until 
a very recent date. Dr. Brown, a high medical authority of a 
hundred years ago, seriously maintained that " the patient ought 
to be struck with fear and terror, and driven in his state of insanity 



Scene III] Notes 219 

to despair; as a remedy against over-muscular excitement the 
labour of draught cattle should be imposed on him; the diet should 
be the poorest possible, and his drink only water." Cf. T. N. iii. 

4. 148, V. I. 350, C. of E. iv. 4. 97, etc. 

403. Moonish. Changeable, variable; used by S. only here. 
Cf. R. and J. ii. 2. 109 fol. 

410. Drave, Cf. T. and C. iii. 3. 190, R. and J. i. i. 127, etc. 

5. also uses drove for the past tense (^M. JV. v. 5. 131, etc.), and 
driven and droven {A. and C. iv. 7. 5) for the participle. 

411. Living, Real, as opposed to wa^. Cf. 6>//^. iii. 3. 409 : "a 
living reason." 

413. Merely. Absolutely. Cf. Temp. i. i. 59: "we are merely 
cheated of our lives," etc. 

414. Liver. Considered the seat of love. Cf. Temp. iv. i. 56, 
Much Ado, iv. i . 233, etc. See also liver-vein in L. L. L. iv. 3. 74. 
The simile, as Steevens remarks, is in keeping with Rosalind's 
assumed character of a shepherd. 

Scene III. — i. Audrey. A contraction of Etheldreda. The 
word tawdry is a corruption of Saint Audrey. 

3. Feature. Shape, personal appearance (Schmidt). Cf. Sonn. 
113. 12, Temp. iii. I. 52, etc. Some take it to be = "facture" (or 
making in the early English sense of composition, verses), as Mr. 
W. Wilkins explains it ; but this is doubtful. Audrey somehow mis- 
understands the word, and this involves a joke, but what the joke 
can be seems past finding out. Furness, after devoting almost three 
pages of fine print to it, gives it up as inexplicable. 

7. Goats. There is a play on this word and Goths, which seems 
to have had the same pronunciation. So, as Grant White has 
shown, with fjioth and mote, nothing and noting, etc. Caldecott 
remarks that in our early printing Goths and Gothic were spelled 
Gates and Gotiishe. He quotes Thomas, Llist. of Ltalye, 1561 : 
"against the gotes " (that is, Goths). Capricious is apparently 
used here on account of its derivation (Latin caper, goat) . 



220 Notes [Act III 

lo. Ill-inhabited. Ill-housed. For the allusion to the story of 
Philemon and Baucis, of. Much Ado, ii. i. 99. 

15. ^ great reckoning, etc. A large bill for a small company or 
a mean entertainment. 

21. May be said, M. Mason wished to read "it may be said; " 
but it is more likely a " confusion of construction " for " may be said 
to be feigned." 

26. Honest. Chaste ; as in i. 2. 38. Cf. dishonest in v. 3. 4 below. 

29. Hard-favoured. Ill-favoured (cf. i. 2. 39 above), ugly. Cf. 
V. and A. 133 : "Were I hard-favour'd, foul, or wrinkled-old; " 
Hen. V. iii. 1.8: " Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd age," etc, 

32. Material. "Full of matter" (ii. I. 68), sensible. 

36. Foul. Plain, ugly; as in the passage from V. and A. just 
quoted, and in iii. 5. 62 below. 

49. Stagger. Waver, hesitate; as in M. W. iii. 3. 12, etc. 

51. What though? What of it ? Cf. M. W.\. i. 286, Hen. V. 
ii. I. 9, etc. 

52. Necessary. Unavoidable; asiny. C. ii. 2. 36, etc. 

57. Rascal. A lean or worthless deer. Puttenham, in his £7z^/z^>^ 
Poesie, says : " raskall is properly the hunter's terme given to young 
deere, leane and out of season." For a play on the word, see Cor. 
i. II. 63, 2 He7i. IV. ii. 4. 45, v. 4. 34, etc. 

58. More worthier. See on iii. 2. 59 above. 
61. By how much, etc. See on v. 2. 44 below. 

63. Sir. "The style of a priest, answering to dominus.''^ 

68. On gift of any man. The idea seems to be that what is 

given away is not worth having. 

75. God Held you. God yield you, reward you. Cf. v. 4. 54 

below. The full form (" the gods yield you for 't ! ") occurs in 

A. and C. iv. 2. 33. 

79. Bow. English editors explain ox-bow as a provincialism, but 
it is in common use in New England. 

80. Falcon. The female bird, the male bird being called tercel 
or tassel (cf. T. and C. iii. 2. 56 and R. and J. ii. 2. 160). Falcon 



Scene IV] Notes 221 

is masculine in J?, of L. 506, but this is because it is applied meta- 
phorically to Tarquin. On the bells, cf. R.of L.^w and 3 Hen. VI. 
i. I. 47. 

90. But I were better. That it were not better for me. Cf. 
2 Hen. IV. i. 2. 245, T. N. i. 2. 27, etc. The construction was 
originally impersonal (= to me it were better), like if I please, etc. 
See on i. i. 90 above. 

98. O sweet Oliver. A quotation from a ballad of the time. 

102. Wind. Steevens notes that wmi3'=wend in Ccesar and 
Pompey, 1607: " Winde we then, Anthony, with this royal queen," 
etc. 

106. Flout. Mock, jeer; as in i. 2. 45 above, etc. For calling, 
see on i. 2. 234 above. 

Scene IV. — 9. Than Judas'' s. It was a current opinion that 
Judas had red hair and beard, and he was commonly so represented 
in the paintings and tapestries of the time. Cf. Marston, Insatiate 
Countess, 161 3: "I ever thought by his red beard he would prove 
a Judas;" Middleton, Chaste Maid in Cheapside, 1620 : "Sure 
that was Judas with the red beard," etc. 

12. Yotir chestnut. A common colloquial use oi your. Cf. v. 
4. 61 below; also M. N. D. i. 2. 95, iii. i. t,Z^ iv. i. 36, etc. 

15. Holy bread. Sacramental bread. 

16. Cast. Cast off, discarded. Cf. Hen. V. iv. i. 23: "casted 
slough;" Hen. VIII. i. 3. 48: "your colt's tooth is not cast yet," 
etc. For the allusion to Diana, cf. Much Ado, iv. i. 58, T. of A. 
iv. 3. 387, Cor. V. 3. 65, etc. 

17. Winter'' s sisterhood. That is, "an unfruitful sisterhood." 
Cf. M. N. D. i. I. 72: — 

" To live a barren sister all your life, 
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon." 

23. Pick-purse. Pickpocket; as in M. W.\. i. 163, Z. Z. Z, iv, 
3. 208, etc. 



222 Notes [Act III 

24. Verity. Faith, honesty; as in Macb. iv. 3. 92: "justice, 
verity, temperance." 

25. A covered goblet. More hollow because the cover is on only 
when the cup is empty. 

31. The word of a tapster. Who would cheat in his reckoning. 
Cf. L. L. L. i. 2. 42: "I am ill at reckoning; it fitteth the spirit 
of a tapster; " T. and C. i. 2. 123: "a tapster's arithmetic," etc. 

35. Question. Talk, conversation. Cf. v. 4. 161 below; also 
IV. T. iv. 2. 55, etc. See on iii. 2. 368 above. 

37. What. For what, why. Cf. _/. C. ii. i. 123: "What need 
we any spur," etc. 

39. A brave man ! A fine fellow ! Cf. for the irony Temp. iii. 

2. 12: "He were a brave monster indeed," etc. See on bravery^ 
ii. 7. 80 above. 

41. Traverse. Crosswise; that is, clumsily. It was thought dis- 
graceful to break a lance across the body of an adversary, and not 
by a direct thrust. Cf. Much Ado, v. 1 . 1 39 : " give him another 
staff ; this last was broke cross." 

42. Lover is feminine, as in T. G. of V. i. i. 116, Cymb. v. 5. 172, 
etc. In A Lover'' s Complaint the lover is a woman. Puisny = 
puny (which is the same word), inferior. 

43. A noble goose. The adjective is obviously ironical. 

47. Of love. That is, of the want of it (Schmidt). See on ii. 

3. 12 above, and cf. iii. 2. 30. 

48. Who. See on iii. 2. 306. 

51. Pageant. Cf. M. N. D. iii. 2. 114: "Shall we their fond 
pageant see ? " In S. the word always means a theatrical perform- 
ance, literal or figurative. 

52. Pale complexioti. Perhaps alluding to the popular belief 
that the heart lost a drop of blood with every sigh. Cf. M. N. D. 
iii. 2. 96 : — 

" All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer, 
With sighs of love that costs the fresh blood dear," etc. 



Scene V] Notes 223 

Scene V. — 5. Falls. For the transitive use cf. Temp. ii. i. 296, 
V. I. 64,/. C. iv. 2. 26, etc. 

6. But first begs. Without first begging. See on iii. 2. 47 above. 

7. Z)zV^ and lives. Lives and dies, gets his whole livelihood. 
Mr. Arrowsmith (^Notes and Queries, ist series, vii. 542) compares 
Romaunt of the Rose, 5790 : — 

" With sorrow they both die and live 
That unto richesse her hertes geve ; " 

and Barclay, Ship of Fooles, 1570: — 

" He is a foole, and so shall he dye and line, 
That thinketh him wise, and yet can he nothing." 

11. Sure. Surely. Cf. Tefnp. i. 2. 388, ii. i. 315, etc. 

12. FraiVst. This contraction of superlatives is common in S. 
Cf. "civil'st" (2 Hen. VI. iv. 7. 66), -'kind'st" (^Macb. ii. i. 24), 
"stern'st" (/</. ii. 2. 4), " secret 'st" (^Id. iii. 4. 126), etc. 

23. Cicatrice. Mark, impression. Capable is apparently = sen- 
sible. Cf. Greene, Orpharion, 1599: "conducted into the great 
hall of the gods. Mercury sprinkled me with water, and made me 
capable of their divine presence." See also Ham. iv. 7. 179, where 
" incapable of her own distress " = insensible, etc. For iynpressure, 
cf. T. N. ii. 5. 103 : " Soft ! and the impressure her Lucrece, with 
which she uses to seal; " and 7'. and C. iv. 5. 131 : "my sword 
had not impressure made." 

24. Some moment. Cf. R. and J.y. 3. 257: "some minute ere 
the time," etc. We can even now say " some half an hour " (Z. L. L. 
V. 2. 90), "some month or two" (J\I. of V. iii. 2. 9), etc. It is 
doubtful, indeed, whether there is any Shakespearian use of the 
word which might not be allowed now. 

26. Nor . . . no. Cf. i. 2. 18 above, 

29. Fancy. Love. See on iii. 2. 358 above. 

36. And all at once. " All in a breath " (Steevens). 

37. No beauty. It would seem to be clear enough from the con- 



224 Notes [Act III 

text that Rosalind is bantering Phebe, but the negative has troubled 
some of the editors. Cf. 66 below : " He 's fallen in love vv'ith your 
foulness; " that is, your lack of beauty. Cf. foul in iii. 3. 36 and 
in 62 below. 

39. Dark. In the dark, Cf. A. W. iv. i. 104: "I'll keep him 
dark," etc. The passage means, "without exciting any particular 
desire for light to see it by " (Moberly). 

43. Sale-work. " Ready-made," as we say, in distinction from 
"custom work" or that done to order. Odh my little life is a 
petty oath. Cf. Much Ado, iv. 2. 72 : " God 's my life ! " See also 
"Od's my will!" in iv. 3. 17 below; "Od's me!" in M. W.\. 
4. 64, etc. 

47. Bugle. Black like " bugles," as beads of black glass are still 
called. 

48. Enta77ie. Tame, subdue; used by S. only here. For tame = 
subdue, see Much Ado, v. i. 210, T. of S. ii. i. 278, iv. i. 213, iv. 2. 
53, 58, etc. 

50. Foggy south. For the south wind as bringing fog and rain, 
cf. R. and J. i. 4. 103, 2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 392, Cor. ii. 3. 32, Cymb. 
ii. 3. 136, iv. 2. 349, etc. 

51. Properer. Handsomer. See on i. 2. 121, and cf. 55 and 
114 below. 

53. Makes. The relative sometimes takes a singular verb, though 
the antecedent is plural; but here we may regard the preceding 
idea ("the fact that there are such fools as you") as the subject. 

59. Friendly. As a friend. For the adv^erbial use, cf. T. of S. 
i. I. 141, iv. 2. 107, Cor. iv. 6. 9, A. and C ii. 6. 47, etc. 

60. You are not, etc. We might use this expression, but not 
"This sky is not to walk in" (y. C. i. 3. 39), "He is not for your 
lordship's respect" (^A. W. iii. 6. 109), etc. 

61. Cry the man mercy. That is, beg his pardon. Cf. M. IV. 
iii. 5. 27, Af. N. D. iii. i. 182, etc. 

62. Foul is most foul, etc. " There is no ugliness like that which 
goes with scoffing." See on iii. 3. 36 above. 



Scene V] Notes 225 

66. He^s fallen in love, etc. If the text is right, the first clause 
must be addressed to Phebe, and what follows to Silvius. 

68. Saiice. Cf. our vulgarism of "sassing" a person. From 
meaning to give zest or piquancy to language, the word came to 
be used ironically in the sense of making it hot and sharp; or, in 
other words, from meaning to spice it came to mean to pepper, Cf. 
M. W. iv. 3. 1 1 : "I '11 sauce them." 

73. If you will know, etc. Probably addressed to Silvius. 

76. Look on him better. Think better of him, regard him more 
favourably. 

78. Abus'd. Deceived. Cf. Aluch Ado, v. 2. 100 : " Hero hath 
been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused," etc. 

80. Dead shepherd, etc. See introduction, p. 10 above. Mar- 
lowe was killed in a quarrel in 1593. For saw, cf. ii. 7. 156 above. 
Of might ■= forcibly true. 

%%. Extermin'd. Used by S. only here. Its equivalent, exter- 
ininate, he does not use at all. 

89. Thou hast my love, etc. Possibly there is an allusion to the 
Scriptural injunction, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 

93. Sitice that. See on i. 3. 48 above. 

94. Irksome. See on ii. i. 22 above. 

99. Grace. Either favour, regard (as in Much Ado, ii. 3. 31, 
Z. L. L. ii. I. 60, etc.), or fortune, happiness (as in M. for M. i. 4. 
69, M. N. D. ii. 2. 89, etc.). 

102. Loose. Let fall. Cf. Ruth, ii. 16. 

104. Ereivhile. See on ii. 4. 89 above. 

106. Bounds. See on ii. 4. %Tj above. 

107. Carlot. Peasant; from ca7'l (see Cymb. v. 2. 4), which 
has the same meaning. 

109. Peevish. Silly, as often; though here it may have the more 
familiar sense. 

112. It is. See on i. i, 139 above. 

120. Lusty. Lively, fresh. Cf. Sonn. 5. 7, Temp. ii. i. 52, etc, 

122. Constant. Uniform; as opposed to the mingled damask, 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 5 



2 26 Notes [Act IV 

or red and white. Cf. Sonn. 130. 5: "roses damask'd, red and 
white." 

124. In parcels. Piecemeal. Cf, "by parcels" in 0th. i. 3. 154. 
Would have gone nea?- to fall = would have come near falling. Cf. 
Temp. ii. 2. 78, Much Ado, iv. 2. 24, etc. 

128. What had he to do, etc. What right had he, etc. Cf. M. W. 
iii. 3. 164 : " What have you to do (what is it to you) whither they 
bear it?" The phrase is used absolutely in T. of S. i. 2. 226 and 
iii. 2. 218. 

130. / am reme77iber^ d. I recollect. Cf. M. for M. ii. i. no, 
114, T. of S. iv. 3. 96, Rich. III. ii. 4. 23, etc. 

132. Omittance is no qttittance. Doubtless a proverbial ex- 
pression. 

135. Straight. Straightway, immediately. Cf. lear, i. 3. 25 : 
" I '11 write straight to my sister," etc. See also ii. I. 69 above. 

137. Passing. Exceedingly; as often. Cf. M. N. D. ii. i. 20, 
Hen. V. iv. 2. 42, etc. It is occasionally an adjective; as in T. G. 
of V. i. 2. 17: "a passing shame;" 3 Hen. VI. v. i. 106: "O 
passing traitor ! " etc. 



ACT IV 



Scene I. — 4. I do love it, etc. Cf. what Johnson says to Bos- 
well : " You are always complaining of melancholy, and I conclude 
from those complaints that you are fond of it. Do not pretend to 
deny it : manifestiim habemtts furem. Make it an invariable and 
obligatory law on yourself never to mention your own mental 
diseases. If you are never to speak of them, you will think of them 
but little; and if you think little of them, they will molest you 
rarely." 

5. In extremity of either. Extremely given to either. Cf. iv. 
3. 23 below. 



Scene I] Notes 227 

7. Modern censure. Ordinary judgment. See on ii. 7. 156 
above. For censure, cf. W. T. ii. i. 37: "In my just censure, in 
my true opinion;" Rich. III. ii. 2. 144: "To give your censures in 
this weighty business," etc. So the verb = judge iny. C. iii. 2. 16, 
Cor. ii. I. 25, etc. 

Worse than drunkards. " For both alike are as incapable of 
action as drunkards, and their state is more permanent " (Moberly). 

9. Good to be a post. " I remember that I was once at the house 
of a lady for whom I have a high respect. When the company 
were gone I said to her, ' What foolish talking have we had ! ' 
'Yes,' said she, 'but while they talked you said nothing.' I was 
struck with the reproof. How much better is the man who does 
anything that is innocent than he who does nothing ! " (Johnson). 

14. Politic. That is, arising from " professionally assumed or 
half real sympathy with his client." tVzV^ = affected, squeamish. 
Cf. Heywood, Proverbes : " As nice as a nunnes hen." 

16. Simples. The ingredients of a compound, especially of 
herbs and medicines. Cf. R. of L. 530, R. and J. v. i. 40, Ham. 
iv. 7. 145, etc. 

18. My often rumination. The only instance of the adjective 
in S.; but oft is similarly used in Sonn. 14. 8 : "By oft predict that 
I in heaven find." 

19. Humorous. Fanciful. Cf. its use in i. 2. 267 and ii. 3. 8. 

20. A traveller ! S. elsewhere ridicules the affectations of 
travellers; as in K. John i. i. 189 fol., M. of V. i. 2. 79 foL, Hen. 

VIH. i. 3. 30, etc. 

29. God be wV you. See on iii. 2. 255 above. 

32. Disable = disparage; as in v. 4. 76 below. Cf. M. of V. ii. 
7. 30 and I Hen. VI. v. 3. 67. 

34. That countenance. Of that countenance, or national physiog- 
nomy. 

35. Swam. The folio has " swom " for the participle in Temp. 
ii. 2. 133, and for the past tense in T. G. of V.'\. I. 26. 

36. Gondola is spelt " Gundello " in the folio, and the word is 



228 Notes [Act IV 

still pronounced " gundalow " in New England seaports. Johnson 
explains the passage, "That is, been at Venice, the seat at that 
time of all licentiousness, where the young English gentlemen 
wasted their fortunes, debased their morals, and sometimes lost 
their religion." 

45. Clapfd him d' the shoulder. Arrested him (cf. Cymb. v. 3. 
78) ; or, perhaps, in a friendly or approving way. Cf. Much Ado, 
i. I. 261, L. L. L. V. 2. 107, etc. 

49. Of. By. Cf. iii. 2. 339 above. 

57. Beholding. Beholden. Cf. y. C. iii. 2. 70, etc. 

63. Leer. Look. There seems to be a touch of sarcasm in the 
word, though in early English it meant simply face, aspect. 

69. You were better. See on iii. 3. 90 above. 

70. Gravelled. Stuck in the sand, brought to a standstill. Cot- 
grave (^Fr. Diet.) defines assable as "gravelled; filled with sand; 
also, stucke in, or run on, the sand " (the rtm on evidently referring 
to a ship that has run aground) . 

72. Out. At a loss for words. Cf. L. L. L. v. 2. 152, 165; Cor. 
v. 3. 41, etc. See also iii. 2. 248 above. 

God warn us ! God forbid ! Some have thought it a corruption 
of " God ward (that is, guard) us ! " Cf. Rich. III. v. 3. 254. 

80. Ranker. Greater. For the figure, cf. ii. 7. 46 above. 

82. Suit. For the quibble, cf. ii. 7. 44 above. 

92. Was not. Has not been. Cf. Hen. V. iv. 7. 58 : "I was 
not angry since I came to France," etc. 

93. Troilus, etc. Rosalind is inclined to burlesque the story of 
his death; as in the reference to Leander's " cramp." 

100. Chroniclers. Rosalind sportively compares the chroniclers 
to a coroner's jury. 

125. Go to. Come; a common phrase of exhortation or reproof. 
Cf. Temp.v. i. 297, etc. See also Genesis, xi. 4. 

133. Commission. Warrant, authority to perform the rite. 

135. Goes before the priest. That is, does not wait for him to 
dictate the words. 



Scene I] Notes 229 

142. April. Cf. M. of V. ii. 9. 93 : — 

"A day in April never came so sweet, 
To show how costly summer was at hand," etc. 

Elsewhere the metaphor is drawn from the rainy April; as in A. 
and C. iii. 2. 43 : "The April 's in her eyes," etc. 

143. May. Cf. L. L. L. iv. 3. 102 : " Love, whose month is 
ever May," etc. 

145. A Barbary cock-pigeon. Cf. 2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 108: "a 
Barbary hen." 

146. Against. Before, in expectation of; as in Rich. II. iii. 4. 
28, etc. 

147. For new-fangled, cf. Sonn. 91. 3 and Z. Z. Z. i. i. 106. 
Fangled = given to finery, occurs in Cymb. v. 4. 1 34. Nares gives 
examples oi fangle = trifle or toy, from Gayton, Fest. Notes (" What 
fangle now thy thronged guests to winne?") and Wood, Athena. 
(" a hatred to fangles and the French fooleries of his time ") ; and 
Todd (Johnson's Dict.^ adds from Greene, Mamillia : "There 
was no feather, no fangle, jem, nor jewel." 

149. Diana in the fountain. Malone thought this an allusion 
to the cross in Cheapside, the religious images of which were 
defaced in 1596. According to Stow (^Survey of London, 1603), 
there was then "set up on the east side of the cross „ . . a curi- 
ously wrought tabernacle of grey marble, and in the same an 
alabaster image of Diana, and water conveyed from the Thames 
prilling from her naked breast, but now decayed." It is doubtful, 
however, whether S. had this Diana in mind. Statues of the god- 
dess were a frequent ornament of fountains, as we learn from 
writers of the time. 

150. A hyen. That is, a hyena. S. mentions the animal only here. 
Its bark was supposed to resemble a loud laugh. Steevens quotes 
The Cobler's Prophecy, 1594: "You laugh hyena-like, weep like a 
crocodile." 

156. Make the doors. Shut the doors. Cf. C. of E. iii. i. 93: 



230 Notes [Act IV 

"The doors are made against you." It is said that the expression 
is still used in Yorkshire and Leicestershire. 
158. '' T will out. For the ellipsis, cf. i. 2. 215. 
161. Wit, whither wilt? A proverbial expression, of which 
Steevens and others quote many examples. It seems to mean 
" What will your wit lead you to? " and was used to check one who 
was talking nonsense or talking too much. Cf. i. 2. 54 above. 

168. Without her anszuer. Tyrwhitt quotes Chaucer, C, T. 
IOI41 : — 

" Now by my modre Ceres soule I swere, 

That I shall yeve hire suflfisant answere, 

And alle women after for hire sake ; 

That though they ben in any gilt ytake, 

With face bold they shul hemselve excuse, 

And bere hem doun that wolden hem accuse. 

For lacke of answere, non of us shall dien. 

Al had ye seen a thing with bothe youre eyen, 

Yet shul we so visage it hardely, 

And wepe and swere, and chiden subtilly, 

That ye shul ben as lewed as ben gees." 

170. Her husbamPs occasion. That is, "caused by him; " or 
possibly " an occasion against him, or for taking advantage of him." 

175. Lack. Be without, do without. Cf. TJ/a^ri^. iii. 4. 84 : "Your 
noble friends do lack you," etc. 

189. Pathetical. Perhaps meant to be a somewhat affected word. 
S. puts it elsewhere only into the mouths of Armado (Z. Z. Z, i. 2. 
103) and Costard (Jd. iv. I. 150). Cotgrave, however, uses it to 
translate the Fr. pathetique. It is also found in Lodge's novel, in 
Florio's Montaigne, Greene's Never too Late, etc. For hollow cf. 
concave in iii. 4. 25 above. 

195. The old justice. Cf. T. and C. iv. 5. 225 : " that old common 
arbitrator, Time." 

197. Simply misused. Absolutely abused. See on iii. 2. 371 
above; and cf. Much Ado, ii. i. 246, etc. 



Scene II] Notes 23 1 

198. We must have, etc. Cf. Lodge's novel : " And I pray you, 
quoth Aliena, if your robes were off, what mettal are you made of 
that you are so satyrical against women ? is it not a foule bird defiles 
his own nest ? " 

204. The bay of Portugal. Wright observes : " In a letter to the 
Lord Treasurer and Lord High Admiral, Ralegh gives an account 
of the capture of a ship of Bayonne by his man Captain Floyer in ' the 
Bay of Portugal' (Edwards, Life of Ralegh, ii. 56). This is the 
only instance in which I have met with the phrase, which is not 
recognized, so far as I am aware, in maps and treatises on 
geography. It is, however, I am informed, still used by sailors to 
denote that portion of the sea off the coast of Portugal from Oporto 
to the headland of Cintra. The water there is excessively deep, and 
within a distance of forty miles from the shore it attains a depth of 
upwards of 1400 fathoms, which in Shakespeare's time would be 
practically unfathomable." 

208. Thought. Probably here, as Schmidt makes it, = love; as 
in T. G. of V.\.\. 69, T. N. ii. 4. 115, etc. Spleen — caprice; or 
" any sudden impulse or fit beyond the control of reason." Cf. T. of 
S. iii. 2. 10 : "A mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen;" etc. It is used 
figuratively in this sense in M. N. D.'\. i. 146 : — 

" Brief as the lightning in the collied night, 
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth," etc. 

209. Abuses. Deceives. See on iii. 5. 78 above. 

212. Shadow. Shade, shady spot. Cf. V. and A. \^\, Rich. II. 
iii. 4. 25, etc. 

Scene II. — 11. His leather skin, etc. Cf. Lodge's novel: 
"What news, forrester? hast thou wounded some deere, and lost 
him in the fall? Care not man for so small a losse; thy fees was 
but the skinne, the shoulder, and the horns." 

12. Then sing, etc. In the foHos this line and the stage direc- 
tion are printed as one line : " Then sing him home, the rest shall 



232 Notes [Act IV 

beare this burthen. " Various changes have been made by the 
editors, but the majority adopt that in the text. 

13. Take thoii no scorn. Qi. Hen. F'.iv. 7. 107: "your majesty 
takes no scorn to wear the leek;" and i Hen. VI. iv. 4. 35 : " And 
take foul scorn to fawn on him." 

1 7. Lusty. Jocosely = gallant ; or, as Schmidt gives it, " almost 
= merry." 

Scene III. — Johnson remarks that the preceding scene was 
introduced to fill up an interval, which is to represent two hours. 
We find such scenes in other plays, but S. always gives them a 
certain interest of their own. 

2. Much Orlando! Spoken ironically, of course; but there 
have been sundry attempts in the way of " emendation." 

7. Bid. Often used by S. as the past tense. Cf. M. N. D. iv. i. 
192, T. of S. i. 2. 30 (but bade in 37 just below), etc. The parti- 
ciple is bid in every instance except Much Ado, iii. 3. 32 (Verges's 
speech), where it is bidden. Cf. i. 2. 59 above. 

8. Contetits. Accented as in 21 and in v. 4. 130 below; and so 
always in S. 

9. Action. A trisyllable. See on i. 2. 265 above. 

10. Of. See on ii. 4. 44 above. 

14. Swaggerer. Bully. Cf. 2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 81, 83, 91, 104, etc. 
For the thought, cf. M. for M. iii. 2. 207 : " This would make 
Mercy swear and play the tyrant." 

16. And that. And says that. 

17. As rare as phoenix. Cf. Temp. iii. 3. 21 : — 

" Now I will believe 
That there are unicorns, that in Arabia 
There is one tree, the phoenix' throne, one phoenix 
At this hour reigning there." 

In L. C. 93 phoenix is used as an adjective = matchless. Accord- 
ing to the familiar fable, but one phoenix existed at a time, having 



Scene III] Notes 2^^ 

risen from the ashes of its predecessor. See allusions to the story 
in 3 Jlen. VI. i. 4. 35, Hen. VIII. v. 5. 41, etc. For Od 's my will! 
see on iii. 5. 43 above. These oaths, as Furness suggests, seem to 
be due to Rosalind's " attempts to assume a swashing and a martial 
outside. Before she donned doublet and hose she uttered none." 

23. Turn'd into. Brought to. Cf. T. G. of V. iv. 4. 67 : " turns 
me to shame ; " Temp. i. 2. 64 : " the teen that I have turn'd you 
to," etc. 

27. A huswife's hand. The hand of a working housewife. 

32. Defies. For a different sense, see epil. 19 below. 

34. Giant-rude. Gigantically or preposterously rude. See on 
ii. 7. 31 above. 

35. Ethiope. Not used elsewhere by S. as an adjective. For 
the noun, cf. T. G.of V. ii. 6. 26, L. L. L. iv. 3. 118, 268, M. N. D. 
iii. 2. 257, etc. ~^ 

37. So please you. See on i. i. 90 above; and for heard^ on iv. 

r. 92. 

39. Phebes. Addresses me in the same " cruel " strain. 

44. laid apart. Laid aside. Qi. Hen. V. ii. 4. 78: "and lay 
apart The borrowed glories," etc.; also Jonson, To Cynthia: "Lay 
thy bow of pearl apart," etc. 

48. Vengeance. Mischief. Cf. T. A. ii. 3. 113: "This ven- 
geance on me had they executed." 

49. Meaning me, etc. Meaning that I am, etc. 

50. Eyne. Also written eyen ; an old plural analogous to oxen, 
shoon, etc. It is used without rhyme in R. of I. 1229 and Per. iii. 
prol. 5. 

52. Alack. Alas. S. uses the two words interchangeably. Thus 
we have " alas the day ! " in iii. 2. 204 above, and " alack the day ! " 
in M. ofV. ii. 2. 73, etc. 

53. Aspect. Perhaps used in its astrological sense, the eyes 
being compared to stars. Cf. Milton's L' Allegro, 121 : " With store 
of ladies, whose bright eyes Rain influence''^ (the astrological term). 
Cf. also R. of L. 14, Sonn. 26. 10, W. T. ii. i. 107, 7\ and C. i. 



234 Notes [Act IV 

3. 92, I Hett. IV. i. I. 97, etc. The accent of the word in S. is 
always on the last syllable. 

54. Whiles. See on ii. 7. 128 above. Chid is the regular past 
tense of chide in S., the participle being chid or chidden. 

55. Prayers. A dissyllable; as often. 

58. By him seal up, etc. That is, send a sealed letter by him to 
let me know, etc. 

59. Kind. Nature; as in A. IV. i. 3. 67, etc. Youlh and kind 
seems to be = youthful nature or inclination. 

61. Make. Earn. Cf. M. for M. iv. 3. 7 : " he made five marks, 
ready money." 

68. Instrument. Cf. Ham. iii. 3. 380-389: "You would play 
upon me," etc. 

70. Snake. Often used in this contemptuous way. Cf. Sir John 
Oldcastle, 1600: "And you, poor snake's," etc. 

75. Fair ones. Wright and Furness suggest that we should 
read " fair one," as Celia is apparently the only woman present, 
and it is she who replies. We should expect, however, that both 
she and Rosalind would be addressed. It is possible, though highly 
improbable, that it was a slip on the part of S. 

76. Purlieus. A technical term for the borders of a forest; 
used by S. only here. Reed quotes Manwood, Treatise on the 
Forest laws, c.y.yi.: "Purlieu . . . is a certaine territorie of ground 
adjoyning unto the forest, meared and bounded with immoveable 
marks, meeres, and boundaries." Cf. Milton, P. L. iv. 404 : " In 
some purlieu two gentle fawns at play," etc. 

78. Bottom. Valley, dale. Cf. i Hen. IV. iii. i. 105: "so rich 
a bottom ; " Milton, Comus, 532 : " the hilly crofts That brow this 
bottom-glade," etc. So bottom-grass in V. and A. 236 = grass 
growing in a deep valley. 

84. Description. Quadrisyllable. See on i. 2. 265 above. 

86. Favour. Look, aspect. Cf. ill- favour'' d, iii. 5. 53 above. 
Bestows himself — deports or conducts himself. Cf. K.John, iii. i. 
225, 2 Hen. IV. ii. 2. 186, etc. 



Scene III] Notes 235 

Sy. Ripe. Elder, mature. Low = short of stature; as in Much 
Ado, i. I. 173, iii. i. 65 (where it is opposed to "tall"), M. N. D. 
iii. 2. 295-305, etc. 

93. Napkin. Handkerchief, as is evident from 97 just below. 
Cf. Z. C. 15 : " Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne; " and 
0th. iii. 3. 290, where Emilia says " I am glad I have found this 
napkin," and immediately after (306) to lago, " What will you 
give me now For that same handkerchief?" 

97. Handkercher. The folio spelling, indicating the pronun- 
ciation. In 0th. the quarto has " handkercher," the folio " hand- 
kerchief." 

loi. Food. Commonly quoted "cud"; but S. does not use the 
word. On siveet and bitter fancy, cf. Lodge's novel : " Wherein I 
have noted the variable disposition of fancy, that lyke the polype 
in colours, so it changeth into sundry humors, being as it should 
seeme a combat mixt with disquiet, and a bitter pleasure wrapt 
in a sweet prejudice, lyke to the synople tree, whose blossomes 
delight the smell, and whose fruit infects the taste." 

102. Threw his eye. Cf. R. of L, 1499, M.for M. v. i. 23, K. 
fohn, iii. 3. 59, etc. 

104. An oak. The folio has " an old Oake," but it is not likely 
that S. would crowd the line with an adjective implied in age and 
antiquity. It reminds me of a line in an ambitious college poem 
which read " In the old days of ancient yore." 

108. Gilded. Schmidt notes that S. uses gilded twenty times 
and gilt only six times. 

109. Her. There is here a confusion of genders, as in Macb. iii. 
2. 13: — 

" We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; 
She '11 close and be herself, whilst our poor malice 
Remains in danger of her former tooth." 

There is no clear case in S. of her as the possessive of it. 

112. Indented. Sinuous, winding. Cf. V. and A. 704: "Turn 



236 Notes [Act IV 

and return, indenting with the way." Milton, like S., has the 
word twice. See Vac. Ex. 94 : — 

" Or Trent, who, like some Earth-born giant, spreads 
His thirsty arms along the indented meads ; " 

and P. L. ix. 496 (of the serpent) : — 

" not with indented wave, 
Prone on the ground, as since." 

114. With udders, etc. And therefore htingry (126 below). 
Cf. Lear, iii. I. 12: "the cub-drawn bear." 

117. The royal disposition, etc. Douce quotes what Batman 
{upon Barthol. xviii. 65) says of lions: "Also their mercie is 
known by many and oft ensamples : for they spare them that lye 
on the ground." See also Lodge's novel, p. 161 above. 

122. Render. Describe, report. Cf. 2 Hen. IV. i. I. 27: 
"rendered me these news for true ; " Hen. V. i. i. 44: "A fearful 
battle render'd you in music," etc. 

125. To. With regard to. Cf. T. of S. ii. i. 334, A. W. iv. 
3. 276, etc. 

131. Hurtling. Din of conflict. Cf. /. C. ii. 2. 22: "The 
noise of battle hurtled in the air ; " and Gray, Fatal Sisters : — 

" Iron sleet of arrowy shower 
Hurtles in the darken'd air," etc. 

134. Contrive. Plot. See on i. i. 142 above; oxidici. M. N. D. 
iii. 2. 196, etc. 

135. Do not shame. Am not ashamed. Cf, C. of E. v. i. 322: 
"Thou sham'st to acknowledge me in misery; " and Macb. ii. 2. 

64:- 

" My hands are of your colour, but I shame 
To wear a heart so white ; " 

138. For. As regards. Cf. v. 4. 66: "But, for the seventh 

cause," etc. By and by = presently, soon. Cf. Hen. V. ii, 2. 2, etc. 

140. Recountments. Relations, narratives; used by S. only here. 



Scene I] Notes 237 

141. As. As for instance. Cf. ii. i. 6 above. 

150. Brief. "In brief" (142 above). Cf. K.John, v. 6. 18. 
Recover' d = restored; as in Temp. ii. 2. 71, 79, 97, W. T. iv. 4. 
815, etc. 

151. Being strong at heart. Having now recovered from the 
fainting. 

159. Cousin Ganymede. Johnson prints " Cousin — Ganymede ! " 
and says, " Celia, in her first fright, forgets RosaUnd's character and 
disguise, and calls out cousin, then recollects herself, and says Gany- 
mede.'''' But cousin is probably used loosely, as explained on i. 3. 
41 above. 

165. Ah, sirrah. " On recovering herself, Rosalind immediately 
resumes her boyish sauciness, and a little overdoes it" (White). 
Moberly^, who prints " sirra," remarks, "A similar form seems still 
in use in America (without any notion of upbraiding)." He appar- 
ently refers to the vulgar " sirree," which is of very recent origin 
and of course has no connection with sirrah. A body was formerly 
used in this way in serious composition. Cf. M. for M. iv. 4. 25, 
etc. Wright quotes Psalm liii. i (Prayer-Book version) : " The 
foolish body hath said in his heart." 

169. Of earnest. In earnest. Cf. i. 2. 27, i. 3. 26, and iv. i. 185 
above. 

172. Take a good heart. S. does not elsewhere use the article 
in this and similar phrases. Cf. A. and C.v. i. 56 : " Bid her have 
good heart; " /. C. iv. 3. 288: " I have taken heart," etc. 

177. Draiv homewards. Come home. We still use draw near, 
but not = come in, enter, as in Temp. v. i. 318, A. W. iii. 2. loi, 
and T. of A. ii. 2. 46. 

ACT V 

Scene I. — 10. // is meat and drink to me. A common pro- 
verbial expression. Cf. Af. W. i. i. 306: "That's meat and drink 
to me, now." 



238 Notes [Act V 

12. We shall be flouting. We must have our joke. Y ox shall, 
cf. i. I. 126 above; and iox flouting, iii. 3. 106. 

15. God ye good evert. That is, God give you good even. Cf. 
R. and J, i. 2. 58: "God gi' good-den" (" Godgigoden " in the 
folio), and Hen. V. iii. 2. 89: "God-den," etc. 

35. Wise man. See on i. 2. 87 above. 

52. Female. Touchstone, Hke many of his kindred now, prefers 
female to the " common " woman. 

58. Bandy. Contend, strive. Cf. 7*. ^. i. i. 312: " fit to bandy 
with thy lawless sons." It was originally a term in tennis, referring 
to tossing the ball to and fro; as, figuratively, in R. and J. iii, i. 92. 

63. God rest you merry. God keep you merry. Cf. R. and J. 
i. 2. 65 : " rest you merry ! " For similar forms, see M. of V. i. 3. 
60, M.for M. iv. 3. 186, A. and C. i. i. 62, etc. 

64. Seeks. The singular verb is often found with two singular 
subjects. 

Scene II. — i. Is H possible, etc. As Steevens remarks, the poet 
seems to be aware that, in varying from the novel here (see p. 163, 
foot-note), he makes the passion of Celia appear rather hasty. 

4. Persever. The word was so spelt in the time of S. and ac- 
cented on the penult. Cf. A. W. iv. 2. 36, 37, M. N. D. iii. 2. 
237, etc. 

6. Of her. Cf. Hen. V. ii. 4. 50: "The kindred of him," etc. 

II. Estate. Cf. Temp. iv. i. 85, etc. We find "estate unto "in 
M. N. D.\.i. 98. 

14. And all 's contented followers. This contraction of his, as of 
us, was not uncommon. 

18. And you, fair sister. Johnson would read "your fair sis- 
ter; " but, as Chamier suggested, Oliver addresses her in her as- 
sumed character of a woman courted by Orlando. Grant White 
thinks that Oliver knows Rosalind's sex, having been informed of 
it by Celia, whom he has wooed and won since the end of the last 
act; "for to suppose that she kept Rosalind's secret from him one 



Scene II] Notes 239 

moment longer than was necessary to give her own due precedence 
would be to exhibit an ignorance in such matters quite deplorable." 
Let the reader judge. 

26. Handkercher. See on iv. 3. 97 above. 

27. And greater wonders, etc. Gervinus thinks that Oliver dis- 
covered the sex of Rosalind by her fainting, and told Orlando of it; 
but we cannot agree with him. The reference may be (as Rosalind 
understands it) to the sudden betrothal of Oliver and Celia. 

28. I know where you are. That is, what you hint at, what you 
mean. Cf. Lear, iv. 6. 148: "0, ho, are you there with me?" 

30. Thrasotiical. Boastful; from Thraso, the bragging soldier 
in the Eunuch us of Terence. It is not necessary to suppose that 
S. had read Terence, for the word was already in use. Cf. Orlando 
Furioso, 1594: " a Thrasonical mad cap," etc. S. uses it again in 
L. L. Z. V. I. 14. For the reference to Caesar, cf. Cymb. iii. i. 24, 

37. Incontinent. Immediately; the adjective used adverbially, 
as often. Cf. Rich. II. v. 6. 48 : " put on sullen black incontinent," 
etc. 

38. Wrath. Passion, ardour. 

39. Clubs. " Clubs ! " was the rallying cry of the London ap- 
prentices, who used their clubs to put an end to a public disturb- 
ance, or sometimes (cf. Hen. VIII. v. 4. 53) merely to join in one. 
See R. and J. i. i. 80. Malone aptly quotes T. A. ii. i. 37 : " Clubs, 
clubs ! these lovers will not keep the peace." 

41. Nuptial. S. uses the singular except in Per. v. 3. 80. In 
0th. ii. 2. 8 the quartos have the plural. 

43. By so mtcch . . . by how much, eic. Cf. for the same arrange- 
ment of clauses, Rich. III. ii. 2. 126 : — 

" Which would be so much the more dangerous, 
By how much the estate is green and yet ungovern'd ; " 

for the inverse order, K. John, ii. i. 80 and i Hen. IV. i. 2. 234. 
See also iii. 3. 61 above. 

51.. Of good conceit. Of good intellect, or intelligence. For this 



240 Notes [Act V 

sense, cf. M. of V. i. i. 92: "wisdom, gravity, profound conceit; " 
2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 264 : " there 's no more conceit in him than is in 
a mallet," etc. 

53. Insomuch. Seeing that, since; used by S. nowhere else. 

56. Grace me. Gain me credit. Cf. Hen. V, iii. 6. 71 : "goes 
to the wars, to grace himself on his return," etc. See also i. i. 146 
above. 

58. Three year. See on iii. 2. 314 above. Conversed —h&^Vi 
acquainted or associated with. Cf. T. G. of V. ii. 4. 63, Rich. III. 
iv. 2. 28, etc. 

59. Not damnable. Not deserving the penalty usually inflicted 
upon his craft. By an act of the time of Elizabeth, death without 
benefit of clergy was the punishment for the practice of witchcraft 
whereby death ensued; imprisonment and the pillory for minor 
forms of the crime. An act of James I. repealing this made death 
the penalty for invoking evil spirits or practising witchcraft at all. 

60. Gesture. Bearing, behaviour. Cf. C^^/z. iv. i. 88: "mark his 
gesture; " Id. iv. i. 142: "his gesture imports it," etc. 

64. Inconvenient. Disagreeable; used by S. only here. 

65. Human as she is, etc. " That is, not a phantom, but the real 
Rosalind, without any of the danger generally conceived to attend 
the rites of incantation " (Johnson). 

68. Tender dearly. Hold dear, value highly (though I risk it 
by confessing myself a magician) . Cf. R. and J. iii. i . 74 : " which 
name I tender As dearly as my own ; " Ha7ti. i. 3. 107 : " Tender 
yourself more dearly," etc. 

73. Lover. For the feminine use, see on iii. 4. 42 above. 

74. Ungentleness. Unkindness; used nowhere else by S. 

79. Him. The word is emphatic, as the measure shows. Gr. 

483. 

91. Fantasy. See on ii. 4. 31 above. 

93. Duty and observance. Respect and homage. Cf. M. W. 
ii. 2. 203 : " followed her with a doting observance," etc. 

In line 95 the folio repeats " observance," which is obviously an 



Scene III] Notes 241 

error. Obedience seems, on the whole, the best correction that has 
been suggested. 

100. To love. For loving; a common use of the infinitive. See 
on i. I. 109 above. 

105. Speak — say; as in 2 Hen. IV. iv. 2. 16, Macb. iv. 3. 154, 
etc. Orlando's reply is = Because I speak to her, etc. 

107. Nor doth not. See on ii. 3. 50 above, and cf. v. 4. 86 below. 

108. Like the howling, etc. Cf. M. N. D. v. i. 379 : "And the 
wolf behowls the moon." See also /. C. iv. 3. 27. In Lodge's 
novel we find the expression, " thou barkest with the wolves of 
Syria against the moone." There were wolves in Ireland down to 
the beginning of the eighteenth century. 

Scene III. — 4. Dishonest. Immodest. Cf. Hen. V. i. 2. 49 : 
" dishonest manners," etc. See also honest in i. 2. 38 and iii. 3. 26 
above. 

To be a woman of the world. That is, a married woman. Cf. 
Much Ado, ii. I. 331 : "Thus goes every one to the world but I, 
and I am sunburnt : I may sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho for a 
husband ! " A. W. i. 3. 20 : " If I may have your ladyship's good 
will to go to the world, Isbei the woman and I will do as we may." 

8. By my troth. See on i. 2. 88 above. 

II. Clap into H roundly. Set about it at once. Cf, M. for M. 
iv. 3. 43: "I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look 
you, the warrant 's come." See also Much Ado, iii. 4. 44. For 
roundly = at once, without ceremony," cf. T. of S. i. 2. 59, Rich. II. 
ii. I. 122, etc.; and note the use of round — blunt, unceremonious, 
in T. N. ii. 3. 102, Hen. V. iv. I. 216, etc. 

13. The only prologues. Only the prologues. Cf. i. 2. 191 above. 

14. A tune. One tune; an occasional use of the article, which 
is etymologically the same as 07ie. Cf. R. and J. ii. 4. 188, etc. 

16. In the folio the last stanza of the song is made the second. 
The arrangement here given is found in the earliest copy of the 
song with musical notes, printed in Morley's First Book of Ayres, 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 6 



242 Notes [Act V 

or little short Songs to sing and play to the Lute, 1600; also in a 
MS. copy made certainly before 1639, and preserved in the Advo- 
cates' Library at Edinburgh. 

17. With a hey, etc. In the preface to his Ghostly Psalms 
(quoted by Wright) Coverdale refers to these meaningless burdens 
of songs : " And if women, sitting at their rocks, or spinning at the 
wheels, had none other songs to pass their time withal, than such 
as Moses' sister, Glehana's [Elkanah's] wife, Debora, and Mary the 
mother of Christ, have sung before them, they should be better 
occupied than with hey nony nony, hey troly loly, and such like 
phantasies." 

19. Ring tifne. The time of exchanging rings, or of making 
love. 

22. Bettveen the acres of the rye, etc. " The common field being 
divided into acre-strips by balks of unploughed turf, doubtless one 
of these green balks is referred to here" (Ridgeway). For this 
use of balk (still common in provincial English), cf. Cowper, Re- 
tirement : "Green balks and furrow'd fields." For a«'^ = field, 
cf. Temp. iv. I. 81, 1 Hen. IV. i. i. 25, etc. 

35. Matter. Sense. Cf. ii. i. 68 above. 

36. Untuneable. Inharmonious. Cf. T. G. of V. iii. i. 208: 
"harsh, untuneable, and bad." See also tuneable in M. N. D. i. i. 
184 and iv. i. 129. Some eds. substitute "untimeable "; but un- 
tuneable agrees better with what Touchstone afterwards says, " God 
mend your voices ! " The page mistakes the point of the criticism, 
perhaps intentionally. 

Scene IV.' — 4. As those that fear, q\.c. That is, whose hopes are 
mingled with fear, and only their fears certain. That this is the 
general meaning is evident from the preceding line; but a dozen 
" emendations " have been proposed. 

5. Whiles. See onii. 7. 128. Compact (cf. ii. 7. 5) is accented 
by S. on the last syllable except in i Hen. VI. v. 4. 163. 

12. Hour. Here a dissyllable. 



Scene IV] Notes 243 

18. Make all this matter even. Or, as we now say, " make it 
all straight." So, just below, make these doubts all even — recon- 
cile them, clear them up. Cf. M. for M. iii. i. 41 : — 

" Yet death we fear, 
That makes these odds all even." 

In A. W. ii. I. 194, "will you make it even ? " = will you make it 
good ? 

22. To wed. We should expect "you '11 wed," but such changes 
of construction are common in S. 

27. Lively. Lifelike. Cf. T. of A. \. i. 38: "Livelier than 
life." ¥ or favour, see on i. 2. 39 above. 

32. Desperate. Because those who pursued them were supposed 
to risk their souls in the league they made with Satan. 

34. Obscured. Hidden; as in i. I. 68 above. Cf. M. for Af. v. 

1. 395 : "why I obscur'd myself," etc. 

35. Toward. At hand, coming. Cf. M. N. D. iii. I. 83: "a 
play toward;" T. of S. v. I. 14: "some cheer is toward," etc, 
Toivards is used once in the same sense, in R. and J. i. 5. 124. 

40. Good my lord. See on i. 2. i . above. 

43. Put me to my purgation. Challenge me to prove it. Pur- 
gation properly = exculpation; as in i. 3. 52 above. Cf. W. T. iii. 

2. 7 : " the guilt of the purgation," etc. 

44. A measure. A formal court dance. Cf. Much Ado, ii. i, 
80 : "a measure, full of state and ancientry." See also Rich. II. 
i. 3. 291, etc. 

47. Ajtd like. And had like, or was likely. Cf. Much Ado, v. 
i. 115: "We had like to have had our two noses snapped off; " 

W. T. iv. 4. 750 : " Your worship had like to have given us one," 
etc. QL had as lief (}. I. 143) and /zi<? = likely (i. 2. 18). Like 
is still vulgarly used in this way, at least in New England. 

48. Ta'en up. Made up. Cf. T. N. iii. 4. 320 : " I have his 
horse to take up the quarrel," etc. 

54. God Held you. See on iii. 3. 75 above. On I desire you of 



244 Notes [Act v 

the like, cf. M. N. D. iii. I. 185: "I shall desire you of more ac- 
quaintance," etc. 

56. Copulatives. Candidates for marriage. 

57. Blood. Passion. Ci. Much Ado, \\. \. i'^']-. — 

" for beauty is a witch 
Against whose charms faith melteth into blood ; " 

and Id. ii. 3. 1 70 : " O my lord, wisdom and blood combating in so 
tender a body, we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the 
victory." On ill-favoured, cf. iii. 5. 53 above, and see on i. 2. 39. 

60. Honesty. See on v. 3. 4 above. 

62. Szvift. Ready, quick. Cf. iii. 2. 274: "a nimble wit." 
Sententious = full of pithy sayings. Cf. Z. L, Z. v. i. 3. 

64. The fool's bolt. Cf. Hejt. V. iii. 7. 132: "A fool's bolt is 
soon shot." A bolt was a blunt-headed arrow. 

65. Such dulcet diseases. Foolish attempts have been made to 
mend the fool's talk by changing diseases to " discourses," " dis- 
cords," or "phrases." 

69. Seeming. Seemingly, becomingly. For <2'j', cf. ii. i. 6 above. 

70. On dislike, Warburton quotes Beaumont and Fletcher, Queen 
of Corinth, iv. i : - — 

" Has he familiarly 
Dislik'd your yellow starch, or said your doublet 
Was not exactly frenchified ? or that that report 
In fair terms was untrue ? or drawn your sword, 
Cried 'twas ill-mounted ? has he given the lie 
In circle, or oblique, or semi-circle, 
Or direct parallel ? you must challenge him." 

75. Quip. A sharp jest, or sarcasm; or, as Lyly defines it in 
his Campaspe, " a short saying of a sharp wit, with a bitter sense 
in a sweet word." Cf. T. G. of V. iv. 2. 12, M. W. i. 3. 45, Much 
Ado, ii. 3. 249, etc. 

76. Disabled. Disparaged. See on iv. i. 32 above. 



Scene IV] Notes 245 

80. Countercheck. Check; as in chess. S. uses the word again 
in K. John, ii. i. 224: "A countercheck before your gates." 

87. Measured swords. A preliminary to a duel. Cf.^a;;z.v. 2. 276. 

88. Cait you jiominate, etc. Jaques apparently suspects that 
Touchstone's enumeration of the lies may have been an impromptu 
invention, and that he may not be able to repeat it. 

90. By the book. S. doubtless refers here to a book by Vincentio 
Saviolo, printed in 1594. It is entitled " Vincentio Saviolo his Prac- 
tise. In two Bookes. The first intreating of the vse of the Rapier 
and Dagger. The second, of Honor and honorable Quarrels." The 
second book contains " A Discourse most necessarie for all Gentle- 
men that haue in regarde their honors touching the giuing and 
receiuing of the Lie, wherevpon the Duello & the Combats in 
diuers sortes doth insue, & many other inconueniencies, for lack 
only of the true knowledge of honor, and the contrarie : & the 
right vnderstanding of wordes, which heere is plainly set downe, 
beginning thus." The subject is treated under the following heads : 
" Of the manner and diuersitie of Lies; " " Of Lies certaine; " " Of 
conditionall Lyes; " " Of the Lye in generall; " *' Of the Lye in par- 
ticular; " " Of foolish Lyes." The chapter " Of conditionall Lyes," 
which seems to correspond to Touchstone's " Lie circumstantial," 
begins thus : " Conditionall lyes be such as are giuen conditionally : 
as if a man should sale or write these woordes. If thou hast saide 
that I haue offered my Lord abuse, thou lyest : or if thou saiest so 
heerafter, thou shalt lye. And as often as thou hast or shalt so say, 
so oft do I and will I say that thou doest lye. Of these kinde of 
lyes giuen in this manner, often arise much contention in words, 
and diuers intricate worthy battailes, multiplying wordes vpon wordes 
whereof no sure conclusion can arise." The author warns his read- 
ers " by all meanes possible to shunne all conditionall lyes, neuer 
geuing anie other but certayne Lyes : the which in like manner 
they ought to haue great regarde, that they giue them not, vnless 
they be by some sure means infallibly assured, that they giue them 
rightly, to the ende that the parties vnto whome they be giuen, may 



246 



Notes [Act V 



be forced without further Ifs and Ands, either to deny or iustifie, 
that which they haue spoken." 

91. Books for good manners. There were many such in the time 
of S., and indeed at a much earlier date. One was published by 
Wynkyn de Worde in 1507. There was an earlier edition printed 
by Pynson in 1494, stated to be " finyshed and translated out of 
Frenshe into Englissh the viij. day of June in the yere of oure Lorde 
i486." Pynson also printed another book entitled " the myrrour 
of good maners," etc., translated from the Latin by Alexander 
Bercley. The Boke of Nurture, or Schoole of good maners for men, 
servants, and children, compiled by Hugh Rhodes, passed through 
at least five editions between 1554 and 1557. Several other books 
of the kind were published about the same time. 

102. Swore brothers. Like ih.& fratres jurati, who took an oath 
to share each other's fortunes. Cf. Rich. II. v. i. 20, Much Ado, 
i. I. 73, I Hen. IV. ii. 4. 7, and 2 Hen. IV. iii. 2. 345. 

106. A stalking-horse. A horse, or the figure of one, behind 
which sportsmen approached their game. Cf. Much Ado, ii. 3. 95 : 
"Stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits." Nares cites The Malcontent : 
" A fellow that makes religion his stalking-horse." 

107. Presentation. Semblance; used by S. only here and in 
Rich. III. iv. 4. 84 : " The presentation of but what I was." 

108. Still music. Soft music. The folio has the stage direction 
" Musick still " in M. N. D. iv. i , 80. Cf. " stilly sounds " in Hen. V. 
iv. prol. 5. 

no. Atone together. Are at one, or agree together. Cf. Cor. 
iv. 6. 72: "He and Aufidius can no more atone," etc. It is used 
transitively (=make at one, reconcile) in Rich. II. i. i. 202 and 
0th. iv. r. 244. 

114. Her hand. The 1st and 2d folios have "his hand"; and 
in the next line all the folios have " his bosom." On 115 cf. Z. L. L. 
V. 2. 826 : " Hence ever then my heart is in thy breast; " Rich. III. 
i. 2. 205: "Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart; " and 
V. and A. 582: — 



Scene IV] Notes 247 

" her heart, 
The which, by Cupid's bow she doth protest, 
He carries thence encaged in his breast," 

130. If truth holds true contents. "If truth contains truth, if the 
possession of truth be not imposture" (Caldecott). 

133. Accord. Agree, consent. Cf. T. G. ofV. i. 3. go, Hen. V. 
ii, 2. 86, etc. 

135. Sure. Surely or securely united. Cf. 31. W. v. 5. 237 : — 

" The truth is, she and I, long since contracted. 
Are now so sure that nothing can dissolve us." 

139. That reason, etc. " That the facts when stated may diminish 
wonder" (Moberly). 

140. Finish. Intransitive; as in i Heti. VI. iii. i. 201 : "His 
days may finish ere that hapless time." 

141. Wedding is great Juno's crown, etc. Grant White remarks : 
" Both the thought and the form of the thought in this Song seem 
to me as unlike Shakespeare's as they could well be, and no less 
unworthy of his genius; and for the same reasons I think it not 
improbable that the whole of Hymen's part is from another pen 
than his." For myself, I have no doubt whatever that this matter 
is an interpolation; and it may be noted that lines 125-146 make 
an awkward break in the dialogue, which would run along very 
naturally without them. The interpolation (like that of Hecate's 
part in Macb. and the vision in Cymb.) was such as the stage man- 
agers of the time were fond of thrusting into plays for stage effect. 

144. High wedlock, etc. That is, let it be highly honoured, as 
the next line shows. 

148. Eveti daughter, welcome, etc. That is, " I address you not 
as niece merely, but as daughter, since you are welcome in no less 
degree than a daughter" (Allen, quoted by Furness). 

150. Fancy. Love. See on iii. 2. 358 above. Combine = hm.d; 
as in M.for M. iv. 3. 149 : " I am combined by a sacred vow." 



248 Notes [Act V 

156. Address" d. Prepared. Cf. 7/(?/^. K iii. 3. 58 : "To-morrow 
for the march are we address'd." Poiver = army. S. uses both 
the singular and the plural in this sense, as we do force and forces. 
Cf. y. C. iv. 3. 169: "with a mighty power; " and Id. iv. 3. 308: 
" Bid him set on his powers," etc. 

157. hi his oivn conduct. Led by himself. Cf. K.fohjt, iv. 2. 
129: "Under whose conduct came those powers of France?" 
Cymb. iv. 2. 340 : " Under the conduct of bold lachimo," etc. 

160. Religious. See on iii. 2. 340 above. 

161. Question. See on iii. 4. 35 above. The ellipsis of the sub- 
ject in was converted vs, of a kind not uncommon in S. 

164. Restored. Being restored. 

165. ExiVd. S. puts the accent on either syllable. CtR.andJ. 
iii. 2. 133 and Macb. v. 8. 66. For the noun, see on ii. i. i. 

166. Engage. Pledge. Cf. i Hen. IV. ii. 4. 563: "I will en- 
gage my word to thee; " J. C. ii. i. 127: "honesty to honesty 
engaged," etc. 

167. Offer'st fairly. Makest a good offering or contribution. 

168. To the other. Through his marriage with Rosalind. 

169. At large. Of great extent. Cf. T.j^nd C. i. 3. 346:- — 

" The baby figure of the giant mass 
Of things to come at large." , 

170. Do those ends, etc. Finish up the work so well begun. 

172. After. Afterwards; as in Temp. \\. 2. 10 \ " And after bite 
me," etc. For every, cf. A. and C. i. 2. t^% : " every of your wishes." 
It is curious that every is the only one of these so-called " adjective 
pronouns " which we do not now use in this way. We can say 
" any of them," " each of them," etc., but not " every of them." 

173. Shrewd. Evil. Cf. Hen. VIII. v. 3. 178: "a shrewd 
turn" (that is, an ill turn), etc. 

175. States. Estates. Cf. AI. of V. iii. 2. 262: "my state was 
nothing; " I Hen. IV. iv. I. 46 : " the exact wealth of all our states," 
etc. On the other hand, estate was sometimes = state, condition; 



Scene IV] Notes 249 

as in M. of V. iii. 2. 239 : " his letter there Will show you his es- 
tate," etc. Cf. Genesis, xliii. 7, Psalms, cxxxvi. 23, etc. 

176. New-fallen. Cf. I Hen. IV. v. i. 44: "your new-fallen 
right." For fall = befall, see A. and C. iii. 7. 40 : " no disgrace 
shall fall you," etc. 

179. Measures. See on 44 above. 

180. By your patience. "With your permission. Cf. Hen. V. 
iii. 6. 31, Cor. i. 3. 81, etc. So "with your patience; " as in 
I Hen. VI. ii. 3. 78, etc. 

1 82. Pompous. Full of pomp, splendid. Cf. Rich. II. iv. I. 
250 : " the pompous body of a king ; " Per. iii. prol. 4 : " this 
most pompous marriage feast." It now carries with it the idea of 
ostentatious display. 

184. Converiites. Converts; a word not used by S. Ci. K. John, 
V. I. 19: "a gentle convertite; " and^. of L. 743: "a heavy 
convertite." 

185. Matter. See <5h ii.i. 68 above. 

186. You to your former honour, etc. That is, bequeath your 
former honour to you. Cf. Much Ado, v. I. 282: "Impose me to 
what penance *'*"'7?2V/^. //. iv. i. 106: "Till we assign you to your 
days of trial; " Macb. v. 8. 49: "I would not wish them to a 
fairer death," etc. 

187. Deserves. For the singular, cf. v. i. 63 above. 

198. Steevens remarks that S. has here forgotten old Adam, 
" whose fidelity should have entitled him to notice at the end of 
the piece, as well as to that happiness which he would naturally 
have found in the return of fortune to his master." Lodge, at the 
end of the npvel, makes him captain of the king's guard. 



EPILOGUE 



2. Unhandsome. Improper, unbecoming; as in I Hen. IV. i. 
3- 44- 



250 



Notes 



3. Good wine needs no bush, A common proverb. A bush or 
tuft of ivy was in olden time the sign of a vintner. Steevens quotes 
Gascoigne, Glass of Government, 1575: "Now a days the good 
wyne needeth none ivye garland." Cotgrave (/r. Dict.^ has 
"Bouchon: m. A stopple; also, a wispe of strawe, &c., also, the 
bush of a tauerne, or alehouse." 

8. Insinuate with you. Ingratiate myself with you. Cf. V. and 
A. 1012 : " With Death she humbly doth insinuate; " and Rich. III. 
i. 4. 152: " he would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh." 

9. Furnished. Dressed. See on iii. 2. 241 above. 

II. Conjtire. Accented by S. on either syllable without regard 
to the meaning. 

13. As please you. As may please you. 

17. If I were a woman. Caldecott assumes that Rosalind is 
still in male apparel; but he forgets that in the time of S. women 
never played in the theatres. Pepys in his Diary has several 
allusions to this; for instance : — 

January 3, 1660. "To the Theatre, where was acted 'Beggar's 
Bush,' it being very well done; and here the first time that ever I 
saw women come upon the stage." 

Feb. 1 2, 1 660/ 1 . "By water to Salsbury Court play-house, where 
not liking to sit, we went out again, and by coach to the Theatre, 
and there saw * The Scornfull Lady,' now done by a woman, which 
makes the play appear much better than ever it did to me." 

August i8th, 1660. "Captain Ferrers took me and Creed to see 
the Cockpitt play, the first that I have had time to see since my 
coming from sea, * The Loyall Subject,' where one Kinaston, a boy, 
acted the Duke's sister, but made the loveliest lady that ever I saw 
in my life." 

Edward Kynaston, mentioned by Pepys, was engaged by Sir W. 
Davenant in 1660 to perform the principal female characters. He 
also played leading male parts. Pepys, under date of January 7, 
1660, says: "Tom and I and my wife to the Theatre, and there 
saw * The Silent Woman.' Among other things here, Kinaston the 



Notes 251 



boy had the good turn to appear in three shapes : first, as a poor 
woman in ordinary clothes, to please Morose; then in fine clothes, 
as a gallant; and in them was clearly the prettiest woman in the 
whole house: and lastly, as a man; and then likewise did appear 
the handsomest man in the house." It was this Kynaston who 
once kept Charles II. waiting for a tragedy to begin " because the 
queen was not shaved." He lived until 1712, and was buried in 
St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden. 

19. Liked. Pleased. Cf. Hen. V. iii. prol. 32: "The offer 
likes not; " Id. iv. 3. 77: "Which likes me better," etc. Defied = 
slighted, despised (Schmidt). Cf. K. John, iii. 4. 23: "No, I 
defy all counsel, all redress," etc.; also Spenser, F. Q. ii. 8. 52: 
" Foole ! (sayd the Pagan) I thy gift defye " (disdain, or refuse) ; 
Four Prentices of London (quoted by Nares) : — 

" Vain pleasures I abhor, all things defy, 
That teach not how to despair, or how to die." 

Cf. defiance — disdain, rejection; as in M. for M. iii. i. 143, etc. 



APPENDIX 



Comments on Some of the Characters 

Jaques. — Jaques is the great enigma of the play ; and it is curious 

that there should be such a diversity of opinion concerning him. 

According to Hudson and several other critics, he is " a perfectly 

I harmless though utterly useless man, a philosopher with something 

lof the fool in him, as Touchstone is a fool with something of the 

Iphilosopher." 

Grant White, Dr. Moberly, and some of the Germans, on the 
other hand, believe him to be unmitigatedly depraved, — a worn- 
out, misanthropic old profligate, introduced as a marked contrast 
to Orlando, Rosalind, and the banished Duke. White says: "What 
Jaques called melancholy was what we now call cynicism — a sullen, 
scoffing, snarling spirit; and this Jaques had. He was one of those 
men who believe in nothing good, and who, as the reason of their 
lack of faith in human nature and of hope in human happiness, tell 
us that they have seen the world. ... In brief, Jaques was Falstaff 
without his fat, and without his humour." 

For myself, I think the truth lies between these two extremes, 
and that Dowden has hit it very well. He says : "The melancholy 
of Jaques was not grave and earnest, but sentimental, a self-indul- 
gent humour, a petted foible of character, melancholy prepense and 
cultivated. . . . Jaques died, we know not how or when or where; 
but he came to life again a century later, and appeared in the world 
as an English clergyman. We need stand in no doubt as to his 
character, for we all know him under his later name of Laurence 
Sterne. . . . His whole life is unsubstantial and unreal, a curiosity 

252 



Appendix 253 

of dainty mockery. To him all the world 's a stage, and all the men 
and women merely players. The world, not as it is, but as it mir- 
rors itself in his own mind, which gives to each object a humorous 
distortion — this is what alone interests Jaques." 

The comparison of Jaques to Sterne seems to me a peculiarly 
happy one. I do not know that it makes him much better than 
Grant White describes him, but it brings out more nicely the pre- 
cise quahty of his badness. He was not the bitter, scoffing cynic 
that White makes him. His character had not the vigour and 
earnestness which that impHes. It was rather the dainty, shallow, 
half-real, half-affected cynicism of Sterne. He not only looked on 
all men and women as merely players, but he was an actor himself. 
His melancholy was a part that he played, and so was his sentiment, 
which was rather sentimentahty. Like a good actor, he entered so 
thoroughly into the spirit of the part he assumed that to a superficial 
observer it might seem quite real. 

Compare what Thackeray says of Sterne : " I suppose Sterne 
had this artistical sensibility; he used to blubber perpetually in his 
study, and finding his tears infectious, and that they brought him 
a great popularity, he exercised the lucrative gift of weeping, he 
utilized it, and cried on every occasion. I own that I do not value 
or respect much the cheap dribble of those fountains. He fatigues 
me with his perpetual disquiet, and his uneasy appeals to my risible 
or sentimental faculties. He is always looking in my face, watch- 
ing his effect, uncertain whether I think him an impostor or not; 
posture-making, coaxing, and imploring me : ' See what sensibility 
I have — own now that I am very clever — do cry now, you can't 
resist this ! ' " 

This describes Jaques as exactly as it does Sterne; and if we 
chose to dwell on the subject we might point out resemblances 
more in detail, Sterne's weeping over the dead donkey might be 
paralleled by Jaques' lament over the wounded deer; and so on. 
And yet neither had much genuine feeling. They could both grow 
lachrymose and sentimental over donkeys and deer, but had slight 



254 Appendix 

sympathy for real human suffering. We all know the story of 
Sterne's domestic relations; and Jaques has nothing to utter but 
a few unfeeling jests when Orlando appears at the dinner-table in 
the forest and demands food for himself and the starving Adam. 

It is to be noted that the Duke and Rosalind and Orlando all 
see through the sham melancholy and sentimentality of Jaques. 
Moberly thinks that they see how bad he is, and intend to -reprove 
him with righteous severity for his sins; but their judgment and 
censure of him do not seem to me so serious as that. They are 
amused by him and interested in him, but they cannot thoroughly 
like him, and they enjoy " showing him up." The Duke loves, as 
he says, " to cope him in his sullen fits," and, when Jaques talks of 
setting up as a reformer, laughs at the idea that the affected old 
libertine should think of attempting a part like that, good actor 
though he was. Rosalind and Orlando both put him to flight in 
the encounter of wit and sarcasm. Rosalind is especially happy in 
her ridicule of his boasted experience as a traveller, from which 
he has gained nothing but a contempt for his own country. 

At the end of the play Jaques runs away from the happiness with 
which he could have no hearty sympathy; and yet there is a touch 
of good feeling in his farewell to the Duke and the married couples 
which is inconsistent with the theory that he is utterly depraved, 
and upon which no one of the editors on either side has commented. 
To the Duke he says : — 

" You to your former honour I bequeath ; 
Your patience and your virtue well deserve it ; " 

to Orlando: "You to a love that your true faith doth merit; " and 
so on with the rest. He has a friendly word for all, with a harm- 
less fling at Touchstone and Audrey, and I do not believe that 
Shakespeare meant it to be understood as insincere. For the mo- 
ment Jaques really felt as he spoke, and in bidding good-by to his 
companions in the forest comedy he could not help paying an 
honest tribute to their true worth. 



Appendix 255 

Rosalind. — Rosalind is one of the most charming of Shake- 
speare's women. Perhaps she reminds us more of Beatrice than 
of any other, and yet she is not wholly like her. She is as witty, 
as piquant, as vivacious, but she has a loveliness and a fascination 
all her own. In her disguise, though she wears it naturally and 
easily — quite unlike Viola, for instance, who is not always entirely 
at ease in it — she does not lose her feminine sweetness and deli- 
cacy. She has sometimes been criticized as a trifle too free in her 
talk; but in this respect it is easy to do injustice to any of Shake- 
speare's women. Lest a man's defence of them should not be ac- 
cepted as satisfactory, let me quote a woman's (Mrs. Jameson's) : — 

" How her wit flutters free as air over every subject ! With what 
a careless grace, yet with what exquisite propriety ! . . . and if the 
freedom of some of the expressions used by Rosalind or Beatrice 
be objected to, let it be remembered that this was not the fault of 
Shakespeare or the women, but generally of the age, Portia, Bea- 
trice, Rosalind, and the rest lived in times when more importance 
was attached to things than to words; now we think more of words 
than of things; and happy are we in these days of super-refinement 
if we are to be saved by our verbal morality." 

I believe that Mrs. Jameson is right. Looked at fairly, there is 
nothing indelicate in anything that Rosalind says : the indelicacy 
is in the criticism, not in what is criticised; and, as Moberly, who 
is a clergyman and a teacher, remarks in speaking of this kind of 
fastidiousness, " Shakespeare would have smiled at it." 

I do not say that we should copy the old English freedom of 
speech, but simply that we should not misjudge it. We must be 
governed by the conventional usage of our own day in these mat- 
ters; but we should not forget that it is merely conventional, and 
that the apparent grossness of Elizabethan language is only appar- 
ent, being due to the prevailing fashion of speech, not to a lower 
standard of morality. 

Rosalind has a singularly healthy nature — mentally and morally 
no less than physically : she is sound and sweet in heart, as she is 



2^6 Appendix 

fair of face. How admirably, as we have already seen, she puts to 

flight the melancholy Jaques with his self-petted sentimentality, his 

travelled affectation and conceit ! How witty and how womanly 

her snubbing of the pert little Phebe, when the shepherdess laughs 

at the idea that she can ever suffer from " love's keen arrows," as 

Silvius does ! 

" But till that time (she says) 

Come not thou near me ; and when that time comes 

Afflict me with thy mocks, pity me not, 

As till that time I shall not pity thee ! " 

Rosalind comes forward, and addresses the pitiless coquette : — 

" And why, I pray you? W/io might he your mother. 
That you insult, exult, and all at once, 
Over the wretched? . . . 

But, mistress, know yourself; dow7i on your knees. 
And thank Heaven, fasting, for a good magi's love ! 
Cry the man mercy ; love him ; take his offer : 
Foul is most foul, being foul to be a scoffer." 

Never did silly girl get better schooling than that — and from a 
girl, we may suppose, no older than herself, though immeasurably 
her superior both in heart and in head. 

In the scene (iv. 3) where Oliver tells how his brother saved his 
life, there is a delicate but most significant touch on which I believe 
no editor or commentator has written a note. When Oliver de- 
scribes the man (not yet explaining that he was the man) lying 
helpless on the ground with the lioness ready to spring upon him 
when he should stir, he is interrupted by Celia with a remark about 
the " unnatural" brother. Then Rosalind speaks: — 

" But to Orlando : did he leave him there. 
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness? " 

Rosalind is as unselfish, as magnanimous, as her lover. If Orlando 
had yielded to his first impulse and turned away from the brother 
who had wronged him so unnaturally, — if " kindness nobler ever 



Appendix 257 

than revenge," had not made him give battle to the lioness, Rosa- 
lind could never have forgiven him. She would rather that the 
wild beast had torn his heart out than to know that heart false to 
fraternal or manly impulses. But Orlando was worthy of her, as 
she of him. 

Orlando. — Like Rosalind, Orlando is a thoroughly healthy 
nature. I know no better word to describe him briefly. Once 
for a moment, when the sky is very dark, he gives way to de- 
spondency : — 

" But, poor old man, thou prun'st a rotten tree, 
That cannot so much as a blossom yield 
In lieu of all thy pains and husbandry ; " 

but, with the very next breath, he takes heart again : — 

" But come thy ways ; we '11 go along together, 
And ere we have thy youthful wages spent 
We '11 light upon some settled low content." 

He has tenfold more cause to be melancholy than the affected 
Jaques; but when the latter asks, "Will you sit down with me, 
and we two will rail against our mistress the world and all our 
misery ? " note his reply, " I will chide no breather in the world 
but myself, against whom I know most faults." No wonder that 
Jaques slinks away after a few brief attempts at sneering repartee. 

Touchstone. — Touchstone is one of the best of Shakespeare's 
fools, — personally as well as professionally. As the professional 
jester he is not inferior to any of the others, combining much of 
wisdom with his wit, — ^ fool, with something of the philosopher, 
to quote again what Hudson has said of him. At the same time 
he has personal traits that we must respect and admire. His devo- 
tion to his mistress shows that he has a warm^h£^"t under his suit 
of motley. Celia knows that he will follow her wherever she may 
go, even into her voluntary banishment in the forest. The journey 
is as wearisome to him as to her, but his good-humour does not fail 
with fatigue; he is the same merry fellow in the wood that he was 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 7 



258 Appendix 



in the court, though we may be sure that his disparagement of the 
shepherd's Hfe, in his talk with Corin, is more jjjicere thaii his 
praise of it. He finds it, we cannot doubt, " a very vile life." It 
may please him well in a way because it is " in the fields," but be- 
cause it is not in the court " it is tedious," and it goes much against 
his stomach. But he bears up bravely under its loneliness and pri- 
vations for the sake of his young mistress. It may be a question 
whether he would have fallen in love with Audrey under other cir- 
cumstances; but I am confident that he had an honest affection 
.. for her, though some of the critics take seriously his'preference for 
I the hedge-priest, Sir Oliver Martext, on the ground that, if not 
I married in due form, it would be a good excuse for leaving his wife 
I later. It is probable that Shakespeare put that into his mouth for 
jocose effect in the theatre rather than as the fool's sober thought. 
At any rate, it is the only suggestion in the play, except the fling 
from Jaques to which I have already alluded, that Touchstone was 
not true lover of the "poor thing but his own," whom he had found 
in the forest, and whom he made his wife at the close of the pastoral 
comedy. 

Two eminent critics, Dr. Furness and Mr. Aldis Wright, believe 
that the delineation of Touchstone is inconsistent. The former 
says, in his " New Variorum " edition of the play : — 

"The trivial blemishes in As You Like It which have been 
ascribed with probability, by Wright and others, to haste on Shake- 
speare's part, may be attributed, it seems to me, quite as plausibly 
to the outcroppings of the original play which Shakespeare re- 
modelled, and their presence would still be due, more or less, to 
haste. Among these, there is one, however, for which, I think, 
haste is hardly a sufficient explanation, and this is the character 
of Touchstone. If there is one quality in which Shakespeare is 
forever Shakespeare, it is in the unity of his characters, in their 
thorough individuality, in their absolute truth to themselves. A 
hundred, and fifty years ago Pope said that to prefix names to 
the speeches in Shakespeare's plays was almost superfluous; the 



Appendix 259 

speeches themselves unerringly proclaimed the speakers. We also 
know that either before the entrance of an important character, or 
very soon after, Shakespeare is wont to give either a prelude or a 
keynote, as it were, of that character, and with this keynote we 
all know how absolutely every subsequent trait or utterance is in 
harmony. If, then, this test be applied to Touchstone (or, why 
not say, this touchstone to Touchstone), will his character from 
first to last stand it ? Is the ' clownish fool ' and the ' roynish 
clown ' of the first act, with his bald jests of knights and pancakes, 
the Touchstone of the fifth act, who had trod a measure, flattered 
a lady, been politic with his friend and smooth with his enemy? Is 
the simpleton of the first act, ' Nature's natural,' as he is in truth, 
the same with the Touchstone who can cite Ovid and quarrel in 
print, by the book? Are there not here two separate characters? 
These two clowns cannot be one and the same. The true Touch- 
stone we meet first in the Forest of Arden, and although when 
Jaques speaks of him we have already seen and heard him, yet it 
is Jaques who gives us the keynote of his character; and in the 
Touchstone of the last act we recognize our old acquaintance, who 
solemnly pondered that ' from hour to hour we ripe and ripe, and 
then from hour to hour we rot and rot, and thereby hangs a tale.' 
" However rapid may have been Shakespeare's composition, I 
cannot suppose — it is to me unthinkable — that from the first 
instant each character was not present before him in perfect sym- 
metry and absolute completeness. For any discrepancy, therefore, 
any distortion in the character of Touchstone, haste in composi- 
tion is hardly, I think, an adequate explanation, and I humbly 
suggest one of two courses as a possible solution : First, either we 
have, in the clown of the second scene of the play, the genuine 
roynish fool of the original old play which Shakespeare rewrote, 
and who here crops out, perhaps through an oversight (here, at 
least, due to haste) or perhaps purposely retained to please the 
groundlings; or else, secondly, that the clown who cracks his 
joke about beards and mustard was not Touchstone, but a separate 



26o Appendix 

and very different character, who should never have been called 
Touchstone. Theobald, be it observed, was the first (and this, 
too, not till his second edition) to call this clOwn Touchstone. 
He is our sole authority for it. This clown Rosalind threatens 
with the whip — would she ever have thus menaced Touchstone P^ 

" Although this latter suggestion will relieve Touchstone's char- 
acter from inconsistency, — an inconsistency which all must have 
felt, and to which Wright expressly calls attention, — yet the other 
trifling blemishes remain, such as styling RosaHnd at one time the 
'shorter,' and at another time the 'taller,' or speaking of 'Juno's 
swans,' etc. For these, I think, we must fall back on the explana- 
tion that they are the survivals of the older play. Theobald's 
error in nomenclature (that is, in calling the clown of the second 
scene Touchstone) may account for the most serious of all; but 
for the others, I think, we can account by supposing that there 
was an older drama, which was intermediate between our As You, 
Like It and Lodge's novel." 

I quote this in full because I wish to place the theory M-hich I 
shall venture to combat, with all due deference to the high author- 
ities who have propounded it, fairly before the reader. For myself, 
I have never felt, and, after careful consideration of what Dr. 
Furness and Mr. Wright (whom I do not quote, as he is sufficiently 
represented by his brother editor) have said, cannot now see the 

iThe very form of the speech shows that it was playful, not serious : 
"You'll be whipt for taxation oite of these days." This explanation is 
confirmed by the fool's reply and Celia's comment : — 

" Touchstone. The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what 
wise men do foolishly. 

" Celia. By my troth, thou sayest true; for since the Httle wit that 
fools have was silenced, the little foolery that wise men have makes a 
great show." 

In Lear (ii. 4. 123) , where the provocation is greater, and the King 
says to the Fool, "Take heed, sirrah; the whip," it is perhaps a more 
serious admonition. 



Appendix 261 

inconsistency in Touchstone's character which they think they have 
detected. If the earlier critics who have commented on the char- 
acter felt this inconsistency, as we are told that they " must " have 
done, it is very strange that they did not refer to it. 

That Shakespeare's characters were from the start "present 
before him in perfect symmetry and absolute completeness" is 
indisputably true. They are always consistent with themselves. 
If they sometimes appear inconsistent, — like Brutus in Julius 
Cmar, for instance, — the inconsistency, though it has sometimes 
perplexed the critics, is an element in the character and can be 
easily shown to be such. Shakespeare knew, as we all do, that 
people are sometimes inconsistent, and that no principle of dramatic 
art forbade that he should represent them so in his plays if it suited 
his purposes. Shakespeare's characters, moreover, are real men 
and women, with the little imperfections of our poor human nature. 
Great wits, like Homer, sometimes nod; they do not always keep 
up to their high-water mark. They do not always try to do it; 
they could not do it if they tried. The after-dinner jokes of a 
Depew are sometimes rather poor and thin, though his reputation 
as a wit may prevent its being detected, at least at the dinner. 
Many a joke that sets the table in a roar may not provoke a smile 
when read in the newspaper report of the banquet. Just so do 
some of the witticisms of Shakespeare's fools suffer when scrutinized 
in cold print through critical spectacles. They were written for 
the theatre, where only the professional dramatic critic is hyper- 
critical. 

We should also remember that the impromptu joke is not to be 
judged by the same standard as the joke prepense and elaborated. 
The fool, moreover, as Shakespeare himself says ( Twelfth Night, 
iii. I. 70), must be discriminating in the exercise of his wit: — 

" He must observe their mood on whom he jests, 
The quality of persons, and the time, 
Not, like the haggard, check at every feather 
That comes before his eye. This is a practice 



262 Appendix 

As full of labour as a wise man's art ; 
For folly, that he wisely shows, is fit, 
But wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit." 

Let us examine Touchstone's talk in the earlier and other parts 
of the play, and see if there are really " two of him," as Furness 
and Wright assume. In the second scene of the play he enters 
for the first time, with a message to Celia from her father, which 
he duly delivers, swearing by his " honour " that he was bid to do 
it. The dialogue goes on with the nonsense about the knight and 
his oath concerning the mustard and the pancakes. The girls are 
inclined to quiz the fool, referring with sportive irony to the great 
heap of his knowledge and challenging him to unmuzzle his wisdom. 
He does not consider them antagonists worthy of his mettle, and 
will not waste the whole treasure of his wit upon them. The 
impromptu jesting about the knight and the pancakes is sufficient 
for " the quality of the persons and the time." It was, moreover, 
suited to the taste of the theatre-goers of the day and very likely 
"brought down the house." It was in the same vein as some of 
the joking of Feste in Twelfth Night, the consistency of whose 
character has never been impugned; as, for instance, when that 
admirable fool, talking with Viola at the opening of act iii., puns 
upon living by his tabor and living " by the church," — an im- 
promptu quibble which Viola finds good enough to enlarge upon : 
" So thou mayst say, the king lies by a beggar if a beggar dwell 
near him; or, the church stands by the tabor if thy tabor stands 
by the church." 

But in this very scene we find the " clownish fool " to be the 
same sly and keen satirist that Touchstone shows himself later, and, 
indeed, throughout the play. When Le Beau describes with so 
much gusto the wrestling in which the " three proper young men 
of excellent growth and presence " have had their ribs broken by 
Charles, and " there is little hope of life " in them, note what 
follows : — 



Appendix 263 

" Touchstone. But what is this sport, monsieur, that the ladies have 
lost? 

" Le Beau. Why, this that I speak of. 

" Touchstone. Thus men may grow wiser every day ! It is the first 
time that ever 1 heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies. 

" Celia. Or I, I promise thee. 

" Rosalind. But is there any else longs to see this broken music in 
his sides ? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking ? " 

Is this a mere "roynish clown," or is it very Touchstone? Have 
we not here the same acute perception of the faults and follies of 
mankind as in his satirical description of the courtier who has un- 
done three tailors and had four quarrels, and who knows all the 
rules of duelling by the book? I suspect that we are not to take 
JTouchstone seriously when he says he has been a courtier. He 
assumes the character for the sake of satirizing it. Feste does not 
pretend to have beeii a courtier, but he is as familiar with Pythag- 
oras as Touchstone is with Ovid, and can quote Latin freely when 
playing the part of Sir Topas, the priest. The Court Fool, being 
no fool, readily picked up enough of such knowledge for his purposes 
from the fools of higher rank about him. 

It will be observed that Celia and Rosalind appreciated and indi- 
rectly commended Touchstone's hit at the brutality of the " sport " 
in which Le Beau takes such delight, — the " good wrestling " 
which the ladies have unluckily " lost sight of," but of which " the 
best is yet to do " and may be witnessed by them if they choose. 
It is Shakespeare himself who is the satirist here, making the fool 
his mouthpiece. In calling Touchstone "the clownish fool," no 
disparagement is intended. It is Rosalind who calls him so, and 
we have seen what both she and Celia think of him. In the very 
next speech Celia pays a marked tribute to the unselfish devotion 
to her interests which will make him willing to " go along o'er the 
wide world " with her. This speech proves that the fool of act i. 
is the Touchstone of the rest of the play, not an inferior clown 
whom Theobald misnamed. 



264 Appendix 

When Jaques first met Touchstone in the forest, he evidently 
took him to be " an ordinary fool that has no more brains than a 
stone," and Touchstone humoured the mistake for the time; unless 
we are to regard Jaques's description of the interview as more or 
less fictitious, and mainly intended for the amusement of the Duke 
and his companions. If Touchstone was out of humour and railing 
at Lady Fortune, he may have drawn the dial from his pocket and 
commented on the dull lapse of time from hour to hour, interspers- 
ing bits of moralizing the while; but very likely Jaques had him- 
self been railing at Fortune and moralizing in his usual fashion, 
and Touchstone was only burlesquing him, though Jaques does 
not see it. That would be quite like the fool, who was given to 
burlesque and parody in his good-natured satire. 

It will be noticed that in this first reference which Jaques makes 
to Touchstone he has no word of praise for the fool. He is merely 
amused by what seem to him blundering attempts to be witty and 
wise. But later, when he overhears Touchstone talking with Audrey 
(iii. 3), he says, aside, " A material fool ! " — that is, one with good 
matter in him; and he "would fain see the meeting" of the pair 
with Sir Oliver Martext. On that occasion he shows a genuine 
friendly feeling for the fool, advising him to go to church "and 
have a good priest " that can tell him " what marriage is." Jaques 
must have had other interviews with Touchstone that are not 
reported in the play, for when the fool enters in the closing scene 
Jaques says to the Duke : " Good my lord, bid him welcome. This 
is the motley-minded gentleman that I have so often met in the 
forest." A moment later, when Touchstone refers to the quarrel 
that he was " like to have fought," Jaques draws him out for the 
entertainment of the Duke : — 

" Jaques. And how was that ta'en up ? 

" Touchstone. Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the 
seventh cause. 

" Jaques. How seventh cause ? — Good my lord, like this fellow. 
" Duke Senior. I like him very well. 



Appendix 265 

" Touchstone. God 'ield you, sir; I desire you of the like. I press 
in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country copulatives, to swear and 
forswear, according as marriage binds and blood breaks. A poor vir- 
gin, sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own ; a poor humour of 
mine, sir, to take that that no man else will. Rich honesty dwells like 
a miser, sir, in a poor house, as your pearl in your foul oyster. 

" Duke Senior. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious." 

Jaques brings Touchstone back to the subject of the quarrel: 
"But for the seventh cause; how did you find the quarrel on the 
seventh cause ? " — and again, after the long speech in which the 
fool explains the seven degrees of the lie, Jaques leads him on by 
asking, "And how oft did you say his beard is not well cut?" 
Touchstone replies that he " durst go no further than the Lie Cir- 
cumstantial," and so the affair ended. Jaques then asks, "Can 
you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? " It may be a 
question whether he does this for the pleasure of hearing the list 
repeated or because he suspects that Touchstone's numeration of 
the lies was an impromptu invention, and wishes to test him on that 
point. I am inclined to think (as I have said in the note on the 
passage) that the latter is the true explanation; and Touchstone's 
reply seems to favour it : " O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book, 
as you have books for good manners. I will name you the degrees," 
intimating that of course he can do it, as he speaks " by the book." 
After he has proved that he can do it, and has added his shrewd 
comments on " your ' If " as " the only peacemaker," Jaques again 
appeals to the Duke : — 

" Jaques. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord ? he 's as good at any 
thing, and yet a fool. 

''Duke Senior. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under 
the presentation of that he shoots his wit." 

The Duke spoke for Shakespeare, whose purpose in the delinea- 
tion of the fool was precisely that; and it describes the Touchstone 
of the first scene in which he appears, with his hit at breaking of 
bones as sport for ladies, no less than the Touchstone of this last 



266 Appendix 

scene, with his admirable satirizing of the laws of the duello, than 
which Mercutio's was no keener or brighter. The reacier will recall 
the description of Tybalt {Romeo and Juliet, ii. 4. 20 fol.) : — 

" O, he is the courageous captain of compliments ! He fights as you 
sing pricksong, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests me his 
minim rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom ; the very butcher 
of a silk button, a duellist, a duellist, a gentleman of the very first house, 
of the first and second cause. Ah, the immortal passado ! the punto 
reverso ! the hay ! " 

And again (iii. i. 106) Mercutio calls him "a villain, that fights by 
the book of arithmetic." 

Henry Giles, in his Human Life in Shakespeare, calls Touch- 
stone " the Hamlet of motley." He adds : " He is bitter, but there 
is often to me something like sadness in his jests. He mocks, but 
in his mockery we seem to hear echoes from a solitary heart. He is 
reflective; and melancholy, wisdom, and matter aforethought are 
in his quaintness. He is a thinker out of place, a philosopher in 
mistaken vesture, a genius by nature, an outcast by destiny." If 
this takes the fool too seriously in some respects, it does no more 
than justice to his wit, his wisdom, and his philosophy. 



The "Moral" of the Play 

What is the moral — or the " fundamental idea," as the Germans 
like to call it — of the play? Two critics, one a man, the other a 
woman, agree well in stating it. Mr. Neil, in his introduction to 
the play, says : — 

" When we read this drama we see that it recognizes-^g^pas the 
pivot and centre of activity and joy — the very core of life. . . » 
When we observe that all the evils in the play originate in the neg- 
lect of the royal law of life, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy- 
self;' how selfishness complicates and love explicates the plot — 



Appendix 267 

may it not be that As You Like It is a, divine mo rality as well as a 
charming play? " 

And Lady Martin (Helena Faucit), who had personated the hero- 
ine of the play in a manner to charm all who were so fortunate as 
to see her on the stage, remarks : — 

" To me As You Like It seems to be as much a love-poem as 
Romeo and Juliet, with this difference, — that it deals with happy 
love, while the Veronese story deals with love crossed by misad- 
venture and crowned with death. It is as full of imagination, of 
the glad rapture of the tender passion, of its impulsiveness, its gen- 
erosity, its pathos. No ' hearse-like airs,' indeed, come wailing by, 
as in the tale of those ' star-crossed lovers,' to warn us of their too 
early * overthrow.' All is blended into a rich, harmonious music 
which makes the heart throb, but never makes it ache. Still the 
love is not less deep, less capable of proving itself strong as death; 
neither are the natures of Orlando and Rosalind less touched to all 
the fine issues of that passion than those of ' Juliet and her Romeo.' 
Is not love, indeed, — love, too, at first sight, — the pivot on which 
the action of the play turns? Does it not seem that the text the 
poet meant to illustrate was that which he puts into Phebe's mouth, 
' Who ever loved that loved not at first sight? ' " 

As another critic (Professor Henry Morley) has said, " In As 
You Like It there are two discords; each is between brother and 
brother, each is at the outset fierce : they are set in a play filled 
with the harmonies of life, and are themselves reduced to music at 
the close." 

It is the same critic who dwells upon the thought that Shake- 
speare's works are " a Lay Bible," and that this play, like others, 
proves that they are not so by chance, but of set purpose. As he 
well says : " Shakespeare never allows good to be overcome with 
evil; he invariably shows evil overcome with good, the discords of 
life healed only by man's love to God and to his neighbour. Love 
God; love your Neighbour : Do your Work, making the active busi- 
ness of life subject to the commandments upon which hang all the 



268 Appendix 

law and the prophets — Shakespeare's works contain no lessons that 
are not subordinate to these. Of dogmatism he is free, of the true 
spirit of religion he is full; and it is for this reason that his works 
are a Lay Bible." 



Blue Eyes and Other in Shakespeare 

[I wrote this familiar paper simply as an illustration of an exer- 
cise that I have sometimes given my classes. It may be sugges- 
tive to teachers and managers of Shakespeare clubs; and possibly 
also to the private student, if he enjoys the "comparative study" 
of the plays. 

Several years ago, when I was reading this play with a class in a 
female seminary, the reference to a " blue eye " (iii. 2. 368) sug- 
gested the question, " What colour in a lady's eyes did Shake- 
speare like best ? " I asked the girls to hunt up, with the aid of 
the Concordances, all the allusions to black, blue, grey, green, and 
other coloured eyes in the plays and poems, and to discuss them in 
an informal ** composition." They found it an interesting exer- 
cise, and later we spent an hour in considering certain questions 
suggested by the passages cited in the papers. Other questions 
suitable for such " side studies " in Shakespeare will readily occur 
to teachers and readers.] 

The critics have had some trouble with the colours ascribed to 
human eyes in Shakespeare, and his use of adjectives of colour in 
this connection is worthy of investigation. His only distinct refer- 
ences to dlue eyes are in T/ie Tempest (i. 2. 269) where he calls the 
mother of Caliban a "blue-eyed hag," and in the present play (iii. 
2. 368) where " a blue eye and sunken " is mentioned as one of the 
marks of a lover. In both instances the allusion is undoubtedly to 
a blue circle about the eyes, and not to the colour of the eyes them- 
selves; though the passage in The Tempest has been quoted by 
some critics as evidence that blue eyes were reckoned ugly in that 



Appendix 269 

day, while others have wanted to change " blue-eyed " to " blear- 
eyed." 
Compare Lucrece, 1587: — 

"And round about her tear-distained eye 
Blue circles stream'd, like rainbows in the sky." 

In The Winter's Tale (i. 2. 136) we have a "welkin eye" 
assigned to the boy Mamillius, and some commentators understand 
it to mean blue eye, but it is more probably equivalent to heavenly 
eye (" mit deinem Himmelsauge, that is, pure and innocent like 
heaven"), as Schmidt explains it. 

In Beaumont and Fletcher's Honest Man^s Fortune, we find 
" blue eye " used as equivalent to the pugilistic black eye : " or 
bring in rotten pippins to cure blue eyes, and swear they come 
from China ; " where the decayed apple is evidently to be used as 
a poultice for the damaged organ. 

In several passages grey eyes are mentioned, both literally and 
figuratively; and some critics insist that by grey \hQ. poet means 
blue. In Romeo and Juliet (ii. 3. i) we have "the grey-eyed 
morn; " and again (iii. 5. 19) "yon grey is not the morning's eye." 
In the same play (ii. 4. 45) the " grey eye " of Thisbe is alluded 
to. In the Tzvo Gentle?nen of Verona (iv. 4. 197) it is said that 
" Her eyes are grey as glass ; " in Twelfth Night (i. 5. 266) Olivia 
includes " two grey eyes " in the inventory of her personal appear- 
ance; and Venus, in Venus and Adonis (140), says, "Mine eyes 
are grey and bright." In all these passages Dyce, Delius, and 
others define grey as bhie ; but I cannot imagine why the poet 
should not say bhce if he meant blue, when the word would fit the 
measure as well as grey. I am gratified to find that so good a 
critic of colour as Mr. Ruskin assumes that grey, in the references 
to the grey eyes of the morning, is used in its literal sense and 
with peculiar appropriateness. In a paper read at a meeting of the 
New Shakspere Society in London, October ii, 1878, on the 
passage va. Julius Ccesar (ii. I. 103, 104) : — 



270 Appendix 

"yon grey lines 
That fret the clouds are messengers of day " — 

he expresses this opinion; and in the discussion that followed, the 
passage in Romeo and Juliet was referred to by several gentlemen 
as a parallel one, and the truth to nature in both was unanimously 
indorsed. 1 

Other passages in which grey is supposed to mean blue are 
Sonnet 132. 6: — 

" And truly not the morning sun of heaven 
Better becomes the grey cheeks of the east, 
Nor that full star that ushers in the even 
Doth half that glory to the sober west, 
• As those two mourning eyes become thy face ; " 

and 2 Henry IV. ii. 3. 19 : — 

" For his [honour], it stuck upon him as the sun 
In the grey vault of heaven, and by his light 
Did all the chivalry of England move 
To do brave acts." 

I suspect it was these passages that first suggested the defining 
oi grey as blue. In both the sky is evidently clear, and the critic 
assumes that it must therefore be blue; but in both we have the 
antithesis between the sun and the sky that would be grey without 
it, or seems grey in the immediate vicinity of the sun by contrast 
to his radiance. This view, it seems to me, is confirmed in the 
sonnet by the following illustration of the glorious evening star in 
the sober west. Even if we interpreted grey in these two passages 
as blue, it does not follow that we should do so in others where the 
literal sense is natural and appropriate. Dyce himself does not 

^ Since this was written I see that the Nezv English Dictionary 
(Oxford), in the two quarto pages that it gives to the word grey, does 
not so much as refer to the theory that it sometimes means blue. This 
dictionary, by the way, prefers the spelling grey. 



Appendix 271 

include \h.t Julius CcEsar passage, nor the second one from Romeo 
and Juliet (iii. 5. 19) under his " gj-ay = blue, azure; " but in the 
first from Romeo and Juliet (ii. 3. i), there are clouds in the east, 
as in the second, and the sun has not yet risen : — 

" The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night, 
Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light, 
And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels 
From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels. 
Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye," etc. 

I omitted above the passage in Titus Andronictis (ii. 2. i), "The 

hunt is up, the morn is bright and grey," because it is probably not 

Shakespeare's ; but there is no necessary contradiction in the 

"bright and grey" any more than in the Venus and Adonis 

quotation. 

There are two references to green eyes in Shakespeare, besides 

the "green-eyed jealousy" of the Merchant oj Venice (iii. 2. iio) 

and Othello (m. 3. 166). In Ro?7ieo and Juliet (iii. 5. 221) the 

Nurse says : — 

" An eagle, madam, 

Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye 

As Paris hath " 

(where Hanmer and others have changed " green " to " keen ") ; 
and in the Midsummer Nighfs Dream (v. I. 342) Thisbe says of 
Pyramus that " His eyes were green as leeks." However we may 
regard these compliments to green eyes, on account of the char- 
acters in whose mouths they are put, it is certain that such eyes 
have often been represented by the poets as beautiful. In The 
Tiuo N'oble Kinsme7t, which is included in several editions of 
Shakespeare (mine among them, though I do not now believe that 
he had a hand in it) as partly his, Emilia, in her apostrophe to 
Diana (v. I. 144), ascribes to the goddess a "rare green eye." In 
a sonnet by Drummond of Ha^wthornden, the gods are represented 
as debating of what colour a beauty's eyes shall be. Mars and 
Apollo vote for black : — 



272 Appendix 

" Chaste Phoebe spake for purest azure dyes, 
But Jove and Venus green about the Hght, 
To frame thought best, as bringing most deUght, 
That to pin'd hearts hope might for aye arise." 

Compare Longfellow's Spanish Student: "Ay, soft emerald 

eyes ! " and again : — 

" In her tender eyes 

Just that soft shade of green we sometimes see 

In evening skies." 

In a note on the former passage, the poet says : " The Spaniards, 
with good reason, consider this colour of the eyes as beautiful, and 
celebrate it in song. . . . Dante speaks of Beatrice's eyes as 
emeralds (^Purgatorio, xxxi. 116). Lami says in his Annotazioni, 
' Erano i suoi occhi d 'un turchino verdiccio, simile a quel del mare.' " 

The references to black eyes (not excepting those in the Sonnets 
to the " dark lady," to which I can make only this passing allusion) 
indicate that Shakespeare, after the fashion of his time, regarded 
them as wanting in beauty. In Romeo and Juliet (ii. 4. 14) Mer- 
cutio speaks rather contemptuously of being " stabbed with a white 
wench's black eye." In the present play (iii. 5. 47) Rosalind, in 
her disparaging comments on Phebe's attractions, mentions her 
" bugle eyeballs " (like beads of black glass) ; and Phebe, recalling 
the sneer (129), complains, " He said mine eyes were black," etc. 
In Lovers Labour^ s Lost (iii. i. 199) Biron describes Rosalind as 

" A wightly wanton with a velvet brow, 
With two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes." 

On the whole, grey eyes would appear to have been the favourite 
eyes with Shakespeare, as they are the only ones he specifically 
praises ; and his giving them to Venus, the queen of love and 
beauty, is no less significant. 

I may add that some of Shakespeare's references to eyelids have 
been supposed to be to eyes, and others have been the subject 
of controversy. In Venus and Adonis, 482, we read, " Her two 



Appendix 273 

blue windows faintly she up-heaveth," and Malone cites the passage 
as referring to blue eyes; but the windows are unquestionably eye- 
lids, as in Cymbeline, ii. 2. 22 (which Malone also misinterprets) : — 

" the flame o' the taper 
Bows towards her, and would under-peep her lids, 
To see the enclosed lights, now canopied 
Under these windows, white and azure, lac'd 
With blue of heaven's own tinct." 

The eyelids in Venus and Adonis are called blue on account of 
their " blue veins " {Lucrece, 440), to which also the "white and 
azure," etc., of the other passage refer, the sense being the same 
whether we put the comma before white or omit it, as some editors 
do. We have windows for eyelids again in Ro7neo and Juliet^ 
iv. I. 100: "the eyes' windows fall." 

I believe I was the first to call attention to the light thrown by 
this Cyinbeline passage on the much-controverted description of 
Perdita's violets in the Winter'' s Tale, iv. 4. 121 : — 

" violets dim, 
But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes 
Or Cytherea's breath." 

The commentators have assumed that here sweeter must mean 
"more fragrant," on account of the "Cytherea's breath'' that 
follows; and they have even been driven to supposing that the 
poet alluded to the Oriental practice of giving the eyelids "an 
obscure violet colour by means of some unguent, which was doubt- 
less perfumed," — a sort of painting which both Perdita and he 
would have been disgusted at. I am confident that sweeter im- 
pHes loveliness as well as perfume. The "blue-veined violets" 
{Vejtus and Adonis, 125) are compared to the blue-veined eye- 
lids so exquisitely described in Cymbeline. They are lovelier, 
Perdita says, than the lids of Juno's eyes and more fragrant than 
Cytherea's breath. 

Here, as in so many other instances, Shakespeare is his own 

AS YOU LIKE IT — 1 8 



274 Appendix 

best commentator; and I may add that Perdita's use of sweeter — 
the combining of two kinds of sweetness, appealing to different 
senses, sight and smell — is precisely like the Duke's use of the 
same adjective in the opening lines of Twelfth Night, which have 
also perplexed the critics : — 

" That strain again ! it had a dying fall : 
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound 
That breathes upon a bank of violets, 
Stealing and giving odour ! " 

Here the effect of the music is first compared to the sweet murmur 
of the vernal breeze, and this comparison is emphasized and beauti- 
fied by the reference to the odour of the violets over which the 
breeze passes. Perfume is added to music : we have two kinds of 
sweetness, appealing to two senses as before — hearing and smell — 
instead of sight and smell. 

There is yet another example of this combination in Hamlet 
(iii. I. 163), in that most pathetic utterance of Ophelia: — 

"And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, 
That suck'd the honey of his music vows," etc. 

A "mixed metaphor," say the critics and rhetoricians. Rather, 
an exquisite blending or fusion of figures, like those which we have 
been noting; and again the combining of two kinds of sweetness, 
appealing to different senses, — taste and hearing this time. 

In passages like these, over which editors and commentators have 
squabbled with no other result than obscuring the sense and 
spoiling the poetry, can we do better than to let Shakespeare 
illustrate and interpret himself ? 



The Time-Analysis of the Play 

This is summed up by Mr. P. A. Daniel ( Transactions of New 
Shakspere Society, 1877-79, p. 161) as follows: — 



Appendix 275 

" The time of this Play may be taken as ten days represented on 
the stage, with such sufficient intervals as the reader may imagine 
for himself as requisite for the probability of the plot. 

1. Act I. sc. i. 

2. Act I. sc. ii. and iii., and Act II. sc. i, [Act. II. sc. iii.] 

An interval perhaps might be expected between the day of 
RosaHnd's banishment and the day (No. 3) on which her flight is 
discovered. The Duke allows her ten days for preparation; but 
she and her companions would hardly delay so long, and any 
delay at all would throw the scheme of time utterly out of 
gear. ... I believe the author started them on their journey on 
the night ensuing the banishment, and made Days i, 2, and 3 con- 
secutive. In Lodge's Rosalynde, it may be observed, the Duke, 
who banishes his daughter as well as his niece, bids them depart 
the same night. 

3. Act II. sc. ii. [Act III. sc. i.] 

An interval of a few days. The journey to Arden. 

4. Act II. sc. iv. 

5. Act II. sc. v., vi., and vii. 

All interval of a few days — as the next scene shows. 

6. Act III. sc. ii. 

An interval — indefinite. During this interval we may 
imagine the inhabitants of the forest ' fleeting the time carelessly, 
as they did in the golden world ' ; the Duke and his fellows hunt- 
ing, carousing, and disputing with the melancholy Jaques; Orlando 
calling every day at the sheepcote, wooing his mistress under the 
disguise of Ganymede; while Touchstone finds out and courts 
Audrey, 

7. Act III. sc. iii. 

8. Act III. sc. iv. and v., Act IV. sc. i., ii., and iii., and 
Act. V. sc. i. 



276 Appendix 

9. Act V. sc. ii. and iii. 

10. Act. V. sc. iv. 

Two scenes of the play — Act II. sc. iii. and Act. III. sc. i. — are 
placed, within brackets, out of their actual order in this table. 
The first must be referred to Day No. 2, the second to Day No. 3. 
Looking to the time of the scenes, they are out of place; the 
author seems to have gone back to resume these threads of the 
story which were dropped while other parts of the plot were in hand. 
In a mere narrative this is, of course, a common practice; I am 
not sure that I know of any other instance in a dramatic compo- 
sition." 



List of Characters' in the Play 

The numbers in parentheses indicate the lines the characters 
have in each scene. 

Duke: ii. 1(29), 7(51); v. 4(31). Whole no. iii. 

Frederick: i. 2(21), 3(24); ii. 2(8); iii. i(i6). Whole no. 69. 

Amiens: ii. 1(3), 5(30), 7(20). Whole no. 53. 

Jaques: ii. 5(35), 7(100); iii. 2(24), 3(16); iv. i(i8), 2(8); 
V. 4(34). Whole no. 235. 

Le Beau: i. 2(53). Whole no. 53. 

Charles : i. 1(40), 2(5). Whole no. 45. 

Oliver : i. 1(62); iii. 1(2); iv. 3(80); v. 2(10). Whole no. 154. 

Jaques de Bois : v. 4(17). Whole no. 17. 

Orlando: i. 1(68), 2(40); ii. 3(23), 6(16), 7(32); iii. 2(62); 
iv. 1(41); V. 2(29), 4(11). Whole no. 322. 

Adam: i. 1(7); ii. 3(54), 6(3), 7(2). Whole no. 66. 

Dennis: i. 1(3). Whole no. 3. 

Touchstone: i. 2(30); ii. 4(26); iii. 2(70), 3(76); v. i(49)> 
3(11), 4(54)- Whole no. 316. 

Sir Oliver Martext : iii. 3(5). Whole no. 5. 



Appendix 277 

Corin: ii. 4(26); iii. 2(37), 4(10); v, 1(2), Whole no. 75. 

Silvius: 11.4(19); 111.5(29); Iv. 3(14); v. 2(13), 4(1). Whole 
no. 76. 

William: v. i(ii). Whole no. ii. 

Hyjnen : v. 4(24) . Whole no. 24. 

\st Lord i^Duke) : 11. 1(39), 7(3); Iv. 2(1). Whole no. 43. 

2d Lord {Dtike) : 11. I (2). Whole no. 2. 

1st Lord (^Frederick) : 11. 2(4). Whole no. 4. 

2d Lord (^Frederick) : 11. 2(9). Whole no. 9. 

Forester: Iv. 2(10). Whole no. 10. 

\st Page : v. 3(31). Whole no. 31. 

2d Page : v. 3(27). Whole no. 27. 

^^^a/m^.- 1. 2(63), 3(57); 11.4(26); 111.2(192), 4(22), 5(43); 
iv. i(i53)» 3(74); V. 2(74), 4(45). Whole no. 749. 

Celia: i. 2(93), 3(66); 11. 4(7); 111. 2(72), 4(32); iv. 1(12), 
3(22). Whole no. 304. 

Phebe: Hi. 5(72); v. 2(9), 4(6). Whole no. 87. 

Audrey : ill. 3(12); v. 1(7), 3(4). Whole no. 23. 

''Air {Song) : v. 4(6). Whole no. 6. 

In the above enumeration, parts of lines are counted as whole 
lines, making the total of the play greater than it is. The actual 
number of lines in each scene (Globe edition numbering) is as 
follows: 1. I (180), 2(301), 3(140); 11. 1(69), 2(21), 3(76), 
4(100), 5(65). 6(19), 7(203); iii. 1(18), 2(457), 3(109), 4(62), 
5(139); iv. 1(224), 2(19), 3(184); V. 1(69), 2(135), 3(49); 
4(228). Whole no. in the play, 2867. 

Rosalind has more lines than any other of Shakespeare's women. 
Cleopatra comes next, with 670 lines; then Imogen, with 596; 
Portia {M. of V.), with 589; and Juliet, with 541. At the other 
end of the list (counting only important female characters) are 
Miranda, with 142 lines ; Cordelia, Lady Capulet, and the Queen 
in Richard LL., with 115 each; and Portia {/. C), with 92. In 
T. of A. the female characters have only 15 lines in all. 



INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES 
EXPLAINED 



a (= one), 241. 

a (transposed), 170. 

abused (= deceived), 225, 

231. 
accord (= consent), 247. 
acres, 242. 

action (trisyllable), 232. 
addressed (= prepared), 

248. 
adventure, 195. 
after (= afterwards), 248. 
against, 229. 
ages (of life), 204. 
alack, 233. 
Aliena (accent), 186. 
allotery, 172. 
all points, 185. 
along (= at full length), 

189, 215. 
a many, 173. 
amaze (= confuse), 178. 
am remembered, 226. 
anatomize, 174, 201. 
and all at once, 223. 
a-night, 195. 
answered (= satisfied), 

203. 
antique, 189. 
apart (= aside), 233. 
April, 229. 
Arden, 172. 
are (= have), 179. 
argument (= cause), 182, 

207. 
as (= namely), 188, 237. 
as (omitted), 191. 
aspect, 233. 
assayed (= tried), 186. 
Atalanta's better part, 

211. 
at an instant, 184. 
at heart, 180. 
at large, 248. 



atomies, 214. 
atone together, 246. 
Audrey, 219. 

bandy, 238. 

banquet, 198. 

Barbary cock-pigeon, 

229. 
basest function, 202. 
batlet, 195. 
Bay of Portugal, 231. 
bear (play upon), 194. 
beard, 205. 

beggarly thanks, 197. 
beholding (= beholden), 

228. 
be naught awhile, 170. 
bestow (reflexive), 234. 
better, I were, 221. 
better world (= better 

times), 1S2. 
bid (= bade), 232. 
bills (weapons), 178. 
blood (= kinship), 171, 

193- 
blood (= passion), 244. 
blue eye, 218. 
bob (= rap), 201. 
body, 190, 237. 
boldened, 203. 
bolt (= arrow), 244. 
bonnet (= hat), 218. 
bonny, 191. 
books for good manners, 

246. 
bottom (= valley), 234. 
bounden, 182. 
bounds of feed, 196, 225. 
bow (= ox-bow), 220. 
brave (= fine), 222. 
bravery (= finery), 203. 
breather, 216. 
breed (= bring up), 170. 

279 



brief, 237. 

bring out (= put out), 215. 

broke (= broken), 195. 

broken music, 178. 

brotherly (adverb), 174. 

brutish (sting), 202. 

buckles in, 211. 

bugle (adjective), 224. 

burden (of song), 215. 

burghers, 189. 

bush (vintner's sign), 250. 

but (= without), 208, 223. 

butchery, 192. 

but erewhile, 196. 

but even now, 199. 

but justly as, 180. 

butterwomen's rank, 209. 

by (= aside), 215. 

by and by, 236. 

by your patience, 249. 

cage of rushes, 217. 
calling (= appellation), 

180, 221. 
capable, 223. 
caparisoned, 213. 
capricious, 219. 
carlot, 225. 
cast (= cast ofT), 221. 
Celia (trisyllable), 186. 
censure (=judgment), 227. 
character (.verb), 207. 
chase, 183. 
cheerly, 199. 
chid (past tense), 234. 
child's father, my, 182. 
chopt, 195. 
chroniclers, 228. 
cicatrice, 223. 
civil (= civilized), 210. 
clap into 't roundly, 241. 
clap o' the shoulder, 228. 
clubs, 239. 



2 8o Index of Words and Phrases 



cods, 195. 

combine (= bind) , 247. 

come in (= intervene), 

202. 
come off (= escape), 176. 
come your ways, 180, 

193- 
comfort, 199. 
commandment, 203. 
commission, 228. 
common (adverb), 185. 
compact, 199. 
compact (accent), 242. 
complexion, pale, 222. 
conceit, 199, 239, 242. 
condition (= temper), 181. 
conduct, in his own, 248. 
conference, 181. 
confines (accent), 189. 
conjure (accent), 250. 
conned, 216. 
consent and sufferance, 

191. 
constant (= faithful), 193. 
constant (= uniform), 225. 
contents (accent), 232. 
content with my harm, 

209. 
contrive (= plot), 173, 236. 
contriver, 173. 
conversed, 240. 
convertites, 249. 
cony, 217. 
cope, 190. 
copulatives, 244. 
cote (= cottage), 196. 
could (= would), i8o- 
could find in my heart, 

194. 
countenance, 170. 
counter, 202. 
countercheck, 245. 
coursed, 190. 
courtship (= court life), 

217. 
cousin, 183, 237. 
cousin (= niece) , 183. 
cover (= set the table), 

197. 
covered goblet, 222. 
coz, 175. 

cross (= penny), 194. 
crow (= laugh) , 200. 
cry mercy, 224, 
curtle-axe, 185. 
curvets, 215. 



damnable, 240. 

dark (= in the dark), 224. 

dear (play upon), 183. 

dearly (= heartily), 183. 

deep-contemplative, 200. 

defied (= slighted), 251. 

description (quadrisylla- 
ble), 234. 

desperate, 243. 

device, 174. 

dial (= watch) , 200. 

Diana in the fountain, 229. 

dies and lives, 223. 

disable (= disparage), 
227,244. 

dishonest (= immodest), 
241. 

dislimn, 206. 

disputable, 198. 

diverted (blood), 193. 

do (idiomatic), 178. 

dog-apes, 197. 

do him right, 203. 

dole, 178. 

doublet, 194. 

drave, 219. 

draw homewards, 237. 

ducdame, 198. 

dulcet diseases, 244. 

duty (= respect), 240. 

east (= eastern) , 209. 
eat (= eaten), 203. 
effigies (accent), 206. 
embossed, 202. 
emulator, 173. 
enforcement, 203. 
engage (= pledge) , 248. 
entame, 224. 
envenoms, 192. 
envious (= malicious), 

180. 
erewhile, 225. 
erring (= wandering) ,210. 
estate (verb), 238. 
Ethiope, 233. 
every of, 248. 
exile (accent), 186. 
exiled (accent), 248. 
expediently, 207. 
extent, 207. 
extermined, 225. 
extreme (accent), 190. 
extremest, 190. 
extremity, in, 226. 
eyne, 233. 



fair (= beauty), 209. 

falcon, 220. 

fall (= befall) , 249. 

fall to, 206. 

falls (transitive), 223. 

false gallop, 209. 

fancy (= love), 223, 247. 

fancy-monger, 217. 

fantasy (= love) , 194, 240. 

fashion sake, 215. 

favour (= face), 176, 234. 

feature, 219. 

feeder (= shepherd) , 196. 

fells, 208. 

female, 238. 

finish (intransitive), 247. 

first-born of Egypt, 198. 

fleet (transitive), 173. 

flout, 221, 238. 

flux, 190. 

fond (= foolish), 191. 

fool, 188. 

fool's bolt, 244. 

for (= as regards), 236. 

for (= because) , 210. 

for (= for want of) , 196, 

198, 203. 
forked heads, 189. 
foul (= plain), 220, 224. 
frail'st, 223. 
free (= innocent), 203. 
friendly (adverb), 224. 
function (= office) , 202. 
furnished, 250. 

gamester, 174. 

Gargantua, 214. 

gesture (= bearing), 240. 

giant-rude, 233. 

gilded, 228, 235. 

go about, 175. 

goats (play upon), 219. 

go buy, 172. 

God be wi' you, 215, 227. 

God 'ield you, 220, 242. 

God rest you merry, 238. 

God warn us, 228. 

God ye good even, 238. 

goldenly, 170. 

golden world, 173. 

gondola, 227. 

good leave, 172. 

good my complexion, 213. 

good my liege, 184. 

go sleep, 198. 

go to^ 228. 



Index of Words and Phrases 281 



grace, 191. 

grace (verb), 240. 

graces, 225. 

gracious, 179. 

graff, 210. 

gravelled, 228. 

great reckoning in a little 

room, 220. 
ground, 215. 
grow upon me, 172. 

had as lief, 173, 215. 
had rather, 194. 
handkercher, 235, 239, 
hard adventure, 195. 
hard-favoured, 220. 
have with you, 181. 
having (= possession), 

218. 
he (= him), 174. 
he (=man), 208, 218. 
headed, 202. 
heart (play upon), 215. 
hem them away, 182. 
him (= he whom), 171. 
hinds (= servants), 170. 
hire (= wages), 193. 
his (= its), 206. 
holla, 215. 

holly (songs of), 206. 
holy bread, 221. 
honest (= chaste), 176, 

220. 
hose (= breeches), 194, 

205. 
hour (dissyllable), 242. 
housewife, 176. 
humorous, 181, 227. 
hurtling, 236. 
huswife, 176, 233. 
hyen, 229. 

I (=me), 175, 181. 
if that, 183. 
ill-favouredly, 176. 
ill-inhabited, 220. 
impressure, 223. 
inaccessible, 203. 
incision, 209. 
incontinent, 239. 
inconvenient, 240. 
in (duplicated), 203. 
Ind, 209. 
indented, 235. 
inland bred, 203. 
in lieu of, 193. 



in little, 211. 
in my voice, 196. 
in parcels, 226. 
inquisition, 191. 
insinuate with, 250. 
insomuch, 240. 
instance (= proof), 208. 
instances, 205. 
instrument, 234. 
intendment, 173. 
intermission (metre), 200. 
in that kind, 189. 
invention, 198. 
Irish rat, 213. 
irks, 188. 

it is (contemptuous), 173, 
225. 

Jaques, i8g. 
jars (= discords), 199. 
Jove's tree, 215. 
Judas's hair, 221. 
Juno's swans, 184. 
just (=just so), 216. 
justly, 180. 

kill up, 190. 

kind (= nature), 203, 209, 

234- . . ^ 
kindle (= incite), 175. 
kindled (=born), 217. 
knoUed, 203. 

lack, 230. 

Lady Fortune, 176. 

laid on with a trowel, 

178. 
lay along, 189. 
learn (= teach), 175. 
leer (= look), 228. 
lief, 174. 

like (=had like), 243. 
like (= likely), 175, 242. 
liked (= pleased), 251. 
limned, 206. 
lined, 209. 

live i' the sun, to, 198. 
lively (= lifelike), 243. 
liver, 219. 

living (= real), 219. 
look (= look for), 198, 
look you, 194. 
loose (=let fall), 225. 
lover (feminine), 222, 240. 
low (of stature), 235. 
lusty, 225, 232. 



make (= do), 170, 191, 214. 

make (= earn), 234. 

make even, 243. 

make the doors, 229. 

manage (noun), 170. 

manners (play upon), 208. 

mannish, 186. 

marry, 170. 

material, 220. 

matter (= sense), 190, 242. 

May, 229. 

me (reflexive), 179. 

measure ( = dance) , 243, 

249. 
measured swords, 245. 
meat and drink to me, 237. 
medlar, 210. 
memory (= memorial), 

191. 
merely, 219. 
mettle, 203. 
mewling, 204. 
might (=may), 179. 
mines, 170. 
misconsters, 181. 
misprised, 175, 179. 
misused, 230. 
modern (= trivial), 227. 
moe, 215, 
moonish, 219. 
moral (verb), 200. 
moralize, 190. 
more sounder, 208. 
more worthier, 220. 
mortal (= very), 196. 
motley, 199. 
music (broken), 178. 
mutiny, 170. 
mutton (= sheep) , 208. 
myself alone, 215. 

napkin (= handkerchief), 

235- 
native, 217. 
natural (=fool), 176. 
natural (= legitimate), 

173- 
naught, 170, 176, 208. 
necessary, 220. 
needless (= not needing) , 

190. 
new-fallen, 249. 
new-fangled, 229. 
nice (= affected), 227. 
nine days' wonder, 212. 
no more do yours, 192. 



282 Index of Words and Phrases 



nor did not, 193, 241. 
nor none, 175, 223. 
note (= tune) , 198. 
nuptial, 239. 
nurture (= culture) , 203. 

O sweet Oliver, 221. 

obscured (= hidden), 243. 

observance, 214, 240. 

observation, 201. 

Od's my little life, 224. 

Od's my will, 233. 

of (= by), 190, 217. 

of (duplicated), 203. 

of (=in), 237. 

of (with verbals) , 195, 199. 

offer'st fairly, 248. 

of might, 225. 

often (adjective), 227. 

old custom, 186. 

on, 170, 182. 

on my life, 182. 

only (transposed), 175, 

179, 241. 
on such a sudden, 182. 
out (= at a loss), 228. 
outface it, 186. 
out of suits, 180. 

pageant, 222. 

painted cloth, 216. 

pantaloon, 205. 

parlous, 208. 

parts (= gifts), 180, 191. 

passing (adverb), 226. 

pathetical, 230. 

patience (trisyllable) , 184. 

peascod, 195. 

peevish (= silly), 225. 

penalty of Adam, 186. 

perforce, 175. 

perpend, 208. 

persever, 238. 

petitionary, 213. 

Phebes (verb), 233. 

phoenix. 232. 

physic (verb), 172. 

pick-purse, 221. 

place, 192. 

please (impersonal), 172, 

179. 
point-device, 218. 
poke (= pocket) , 200. 
politic, 227. 
pompous, 249. 
poverty (concrete), 184. 



power (= army) , 248. 

practices (= plots), 192. 

practise (intransitive) , 
174. 

prayers (dissyllable) , 234. 

presence (play upon) ,178. 

presentation, 246. 

presently, 199. 

princess (plural), 179. 

priser, 191. 

private (= lonely), 208. 

private (= particular), 202. 

profit(= proficiency), 170. 

promotion (quadrisylla- 
ble), 193. 

proper (= comely), 178. 

properer, 224. 

provide (reflexive), 184. 

puisny, 222. 

purchase (= get), 217. 

pure, 176. 

purgation, 183, 243. 

purlieus, 234. 

put on us, 177. 

Pythagoras, 213. 

quail, 191. 

question (= talk), 218, 248. 

quintain, 181. 

quintessence, 211. 

quip, 244. 

quit (reflexive), 207. 

quotidian, 217. 

ragged (= rough), 197. 

railed on, 200. 

rank (play upon), 178. 

ranker, 228. 

rankness, 172. 

rascal, 220. 

raw (= green) , 209. 

reason of, 176. 

recks, 196. 

recountments, 236. 

recovered, 226, 237. 

religious, 217, 248. 

remembered, 206. 

remorse (=pity), 184. 

removed (= retired), 217. 

render (= describe), 236. 

render (= give back) , 175. 

resolve (= solve), 214. 

rest (= remain), 182. 

reverence, 171. 

right (= downright), 209. 

ring time, 242. 



ripe (= mature), 235. 
ripe (verb), 200. 
Rosalind, 175. 
roynish, 191. 

sad (= serious), 214. 

safest haste, 183. 

sale-work, 224. 

sans, 200, 206. 

sauce, 225. 

saws (= maxims) , 205, 

225. 
scape, 209. 

school (= university), 170. 
scrip, 212. 

seasons' difference, 186. 
see (music), 178. 
seeming (adverb) , 244. 
se'nnight, 216. 
senseless, 201. 
sentence end, 211. 
sententious, 244. 
sequestered, 189. 
settled low content, 193. 
seven ages of life, 204. 
shadow, 231. 
shall (= must, 173), 238. 
shame (intransitive), 236. 
she (= woman) , 208. 
should, 212. 
should down, 180. 
should (= would), 180. 
show (= appear), 184. 
shrewd (= evil), 248, 
sighing like furnace, 205. 
simples, 227. 
simply (= indeed), .218, 

230. 
Sir, 220. 
sirrah, 237. 
smother (noun), 182. 
snake, 234. 

so (omitted), 178, 207. 
so (=if), 175. 
solemn (= earnest), 194. 
some, 223. 
sooth, 218. 
so please you, 172, 179, 

233- , ^ 

sorts (= ranks), 175. 
south (= south wind), 224. 
South Sea of discovery, 

214. 
speak (= say), 241. 
speed (= patron), 180. 
spheres (music of) , 199. 



Index of Words and Phrases 



283 



spleen (= caprice), 231. 
spoke (participle), 172. 
sport (play upon ?), 177. 
squander, 201. 
stagger (= waver) , 220. 
stalking-horse, 246. 
stand with, 196. 
stanzo, 197. 
states (= estates), 248. 
stay (= wait for), 214. 
stays (=detains), 170, 184. 
still (= constantly), 180, 

184, 208. 
still music, 246. 
sting, 202. 
stir (= excite), 185. 
straight (adverb) , 226. 
strange places, 201, 
strong at heart, 237. 
subject (accent), 192. 
successfully, 179. 
sudden (= passionate) , 

205. 
suddenly, 191. 
suflficed, 204. 
suit me (= dress myself), 

185. 
suit (play upon), 201, 

228. 
sure (= surely), 223, 247. 
sure (= united) , 247. 
swaggerer, 232. 
swashing, 186. 
sweat (past tense), 193. 
sweet my coz, 175. 
swift (= ready), 244. 
sworn, 227. 
swore brothers, 246. 
synod, 212. 

ta'en up (= made up) , 243. 
take a good heart, 237. 
take no scorn, 232. 
tame (= subdue) , 224. 
tapster (the word of a), 

222. 
tax (= censure), 202, 217. 
taxation (= censure), 177. 



tempered, 175. 

tender dearly, 240. 

that (conjunctional affix), 

183, 185, 202, 225. 
that1;= so that), 178. 
thither (= thereto), 175. 
thought (=love), 231. 
thrasonical, 239. 
thrice-crowned, 207. 
thrifty (proleptic), 193. 
to (= with regard to), 236. 
toad-stone, 188. 
too late a week, 193. 
touches, 212. 
toward (= at hand), 243. 
traverse (= crosswise) , 

222. 
treasure (= enrich), 191. 
troth, by my, 177, 216, 

241. 
trow, 213. 
turn (a note), 197. 
turn him going, 207. 
turn (= return) , 207. 
turned into, 233. 

unbashful, 193. 
uncouth, 199. 
underhand, 173. 
unexpressive, 208. 
ungentleness, 240. 
unhandsome, 249. 
unkind, 206. 
unquestionable, 218. 
unto, 180. 
untreasured, 191. 
untuneable, 242. 
up (intensive), 190. 
upon, 196, 204. 
use, 192. 

vein, 203. 
velvet, 190. 
vengeance, 233. 
verity, 222. 
villain, 171. 
virtuous, 184. 
voice, in my, 196. 



ware (= aware) , 196. 
warp, 206. 

was (= has been), 228. 
waste (= spend), 196. 
weak (proleptic), 204. 
weaker vessel, 194. 
wear (= dress), 200. 
wearing(=wearying), 194. 
weeping tears, 195. 
well breathed, 180. 
well said, 199. 
wert best, thou, 174. 
what, 173, 196, 222. 
what had he to do, etc., 

226. 
what though ? 220. 
wherein, 179, 214. 
while, the, 197. 
whiles, 204, 242. 
who (=whom), 216, 222. 
whooping, 213. 
wide-enlarged, 211. 
wind (=wend), 221. 
winter's sisterhood, 221. 
wise men (accent), 177. 
wiser (adverb), 196. 
wit, whither wilt ? 176, 

230. 
with (=for), 183. 
with (=from). 214. 
withal, 173, 176. 
woman of the world, 241, 
woo (= gain over), 186. 
working, 179. 
working-day (adjective) , 

182. 
world (hyperbolical) , 205 
world (= times), 182. 
wrath (= ardour) , 239. 
wrestler (spelling), 172. 
wrestler (trisyllable), 191 

year (plural), 216, 240. 
yet (transposed), 175. 
you (expletive), 209. 
young, 171. 
your (colloquial), 221. 
youth and kmd, 234. 



Rolfe's English Classics 

DESIGNED FOR USE IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND 
OTHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS 

Edited by WILLIAM J. ROLFE, Litt.D. 

Formerly Head Master, High School, Cambridge, Mass. 

Bound in uniform flexible cloth, 12mo. Illus. Each 56 cents 



BROWNING'S SELECT POEMS 

Containing Twenty Selected Poems with Introduction, 
Sketch of the Life of Browning, Chronological Table of 
his works, a list of the books most useful in the Study of 
his works, Critical Comments, and Notes. 

BROWNING'S DRAMAS 

Containing the following selections: "A Blot in the 
'Scutcheon," " Colcorabe's Birthday," and "A Soul's 
Tragedy" — with Introduction, Critical Comments, and 

Notes. , 

GOLDSMITH'S SELECT POEMS 

Three Poems, with copious, critical and explanatory 
Notes, Biography of Goldsmith, and selections from 
Memoirs of the poet by Thackeray, Coleman the Younger, 
Campbell, Forster, and Irving. 

GRAY'S SELECT POEMS 

Seven Poems, with the history of each and copious Notes. 
The Introduction contains Robert Carruther's Life of 
Gray and William Howitt's description of Stoke-Pogis. 

MILTON'S MINOR POEMS 

Containing all of Milton's Minor Poems except the 
Translation, with biographical and critical Introduc- 
tions, and historical and explanatory Notes. 

MACAU LAY'S LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME 

The Introduction includes the Author's Preface, John 
Stuart Mill's Review, and Professor Henry Morley's 
Introduction to the " Lays." 

WORDSWORTH'S SELECT POEMS 

Containing Eleven Poems, with full Notes. Illustrated 
by Abbey, Parsons, and other famous artists. 



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Webster's School Dictionaries 

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WEBSTER'S SCHOOL DICTIONARIES in their revised 
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WEBSTER'S PRIMARY SCHOOL DICTIONARY . . $0.48 
Containing over 20,000 words and meanings, with over 
400 illustrations. 

WEBSTER'S COMMON SCHOOL DICTIONARY . $0.72 
Containing over 25,000 words and meanings, with over 
500 illustrations. 

WEBSTER'S HIGH SCHOOL DICTIONARY . . $0.98 
Containing about 37,000 words and definitions, with over 
800 illustrations. 

WEBSTER'S ACADEMIC DICTIONARY 

Cloth, $1.50; Indexed . $1.80 

The Same . . Half Calf, $2.75 ; Indexed, 3.00 

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giving the orthography, pronunciations, definitions, and 

synonyms of the large vocabulary of words in common use, 

with over 800 illustrations. 

SPECIAL EDITIONS 

Webster's Countinghouse Dictionary. Sheep, Indexed, $2.40 
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Webster's Handy Dictionary 15 

Webster's Pocket Dictionary. Cloth ... .57 

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The Same. Morocco, Indexed ... .90 
Webster's American People's Dictionary and Manual .48 
Webster's Practical Dictionary 80 



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A History of English Literature 

By REUBEN POST HALLECK, M.A. (Yale) 
Cloth, 12mo, 499 pages, illustrated . . Price $1.25 



Halleck's History of English Literature is a concise and 
interesting text-book of the history and development of Eng- 
lish literature from the earliest times to the present. While 
the work is sufficiently simple to be readily comprehended by 
high school students, the treatment is not only philosophic, 
but also stimulating and suggestive, and will naturally lead to 
original thinking. 

The book is a history of literature and not a mere collection 
of biographical sketches. Only enough of the facts of an 
author's life are given to make students interested in him as a 
personality, and to show how his environment affected his 
work. The author's productions, their relation to the age, and 
the reasons why they hold a position in literature, receive 
treatment commensurate with their importance. 

One of the most striking features of the work consists in 
the way in which literary movements are clearly outlined at 
the beginning of each of the chapters. Special attention is 
given to the essential qualities which differentiate one period 
from another, and to the animating spirit of each age. 

At the end of each chapter a carefully prepared list of 
books is given to direct the student in studying the original 
works of the authors treated. He is told not only what to 
read, but also where to find it at the least cost. 



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An Introduction to the 

Study of American Literature 

By BRANDER MATTHEWS 

Professor of Literature in Columbia University 

Cloth, 12mo, 256 pages .... Price $1.00 



A text-book of literature on an original plan, and conform- 
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Admirably designed to guide, to supplement, and to stimu- 
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Illustrated with a fine collection of facsimile manuscripts, 
portraits of authors, and views of their homes and birthplaces. 

Bright, clear, and fascinating, it is itself a literary work of 
high rank. 

The book consists mostly of delightfully readable and yet 
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Each of the fifteen biographical sketches is illustrated by 
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panied by each author's facsimile manuscript covering one or 
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